Nine sperm whales were spotted off Hualien County on Sunday ahead of their regular migratory season, a local whale watching operator said on Monday.
Turumoan Whale Watching Co deputy general manager Lu Shih-ming (呂世明) said that the whales were seen on Sunday during an outing in waters near the Cingshuei Cliffs (清水斷崖) in Sioulin Township (秀林).
The chance encounter transpired during an excursion led by marine biologist Liao Hung-chi (廖鴻基) with volunteers from the Taiwan Marine Education Center, Lu said.
Photo courtesy of Turumoan Whale Watching Co
The group also saw jumping spinner dolphins, a sizeable pod of Fraser’s dolphins and flying fish, he said.
However, the whales were the stars of the tour, Lu said, adding that they are normally seen in Taiwan’s waters in June and July.
Their early arrival could be due to several factors, including a change in oceanic temperatures, the major earthquake that hit the county on April 3 and food sources concentrated in the area, he said.
“This was a rare experience,” Liao said. “We saw a lot of marine life and collected a lot of valuable audio recordings and data that could be significant for future marine research.”
The outing was a part of a sperm whale research program initiated by the Ilha Formosa Association and supported by the Chen-Yung Foundation and the Ocean Conservation Administration.
The program organizes 10 trips each season to conduct research and document marine biology.
With sperm whales returning ahead of schedule, Lu urged people interested in marine life to visit Hualien, which has seen a decline in tourism since last month’s earthquake devastated parts of the county.
His company has added whale spotting tours this year, with each five-hour trip open to up to 20 people, he said.
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