Whales are mysterious giants of the ocean. Studying their secret lives is like being an alien watching human life from outer space. So far, about 38 cetacean species have been recorded in waters in China, and the Bryde's whales in waters around Weizhou Island, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, are among them.
Compared to blue whales in the baleen family, Bryde's whales are rather small, with a body size of 10 to 16.5 meters. They spend their entire lives in tropical and subtropical waters but migrate seasonally. Bryde's whales often come to Weizhou Island in December and leave in April. Their migration route remains a mystery.
Professor Chen Bingyao and a research team at the College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, have been investigating Bryde's whales since April 2018. They report some amazing encounters with the creatures during the research journey. Let's embark on the journey to understanding Bryde's whales with his team!
Our Coast:
China's coastline stretches over 18,000 kilometers and is home to abundant marine life, such as Bryde's whales, Chinese white dolphins and sea turtles. This series focuses on the species living along the Chinese coastline and the survival challenges they face, tells the stories of frontline conservationists, and discusses feasible measures for biodiversity and ecological protection.
Our Coast: Protecting horseshoe crabs
Our Coast: Chasing Chinese white dolphins
Our Coast: Restoring seagrasses
Our Coast: Saving injured sea turtles
(Cover image designed by CGTN's Li Yueyun and Xing Cheng.)
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