Science is Fun Fridays!

 A research program led by the Australian National University has been studying blue whales in the waters off the coast of Timor-Leste in Southeast Asia.

This part of the sea is known as a "crustacean hotspot" that many whales regularly pass through.  Deep ocean channels serve as a major migratory highway between the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The nearshore waters, particularly in the Ombai-Wetar Straight, provide one of the most accessible locations for blue whale research.

For the first time, we have footage of a mother nursing her calf.

These waters "really are providing blue whale scientists with some of our first glimpses into the private lives of one of the world's largest but most elusive animals," says Associate Professor Karen Edyvane.  (She is also Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at Charles Darwin University).

This information suggests that the region is not only important for foraging, but is also critical for reproduction and early life.

Although still considered an endangered species, blue whales appear to be making a strong recovery and their global population is increasing.