Barnacles and whale lice have been part of gray whales since birth.
SOURCE: WALLPAPER FLARE
These barnacles stick to them the moment they are born, especially when they are in lagoons.
Whale lice grow around the barnacles, and whales often rub themselves on the beach or at sea bottoms.
However, there are times when they need a little help.
This video of a gray whale and a boat captain wowed viewers that it went viral.
While gray whales are social beings, they don’t trust humans that easily to care for their personal affairs—for example, removing their whale lice from their bodies.
SOURCE: SILVER SHARK ADVENTURES – INSTAGRAM
However, this video went viral because it showed how much trust the gray whale has in this boat captain.
It even seemed like they’d known each other for a long time – and that’s how trust is often earned.
You can see the whale approaching the boat with its mouth slightly out of the surface.
SOURCE: SILVER SHARK ADVENTURES – INSTAGRAM
It gently approached the boat like a dog or cat would come to humans when it wanted to be petted.
But this whale wasn’t in there for the pets.
The gray whale was asking the boat captain (nicely) to take some lice off its head.
SOURCE: SILVER SHARK ADVENTURES – INSTAGRAM
Paco Jimenez Franco noticed the whale and immediately gave in to its request.
He removed some of the lice; you can tell the whale loved it.
It’s like it melted to the water – like a dog would melt on your hands after giving it some ear scratches.
It then submerged itself partially in the water. But it doesn’t end there.
SOURCE: SILVER SHARK ADVENTURES – INSTAGRAM
Just when you thought the whale had enough, he went back for more!
This made the people on the boat laugh because it’s adorable how he asked Paco to do it again, which he willingly obliged.
After removing a few more whale lice, the gray whale finally left.
SOURCE: SILVER SHARK ADVENTURES – INSTAGRAM
This behavior shows how much the whale trusted Paco.
The boat was from Silver Shark Adventures, a company that offers boat tours to Ojo de Liebre in Guerrero Negro, which means it’s been sailing in the area often, and the whales have gotten to know the boat captains.
Gray whales are considered social beings since they are often curious about the boats near their habitat.
SOURCE: UNSPLASH – DAN MEYERS
They are a popular attraction for eco-tourism destinations in the North Pacific region.
Because they get curious about these boats, they often show themselves on the surface as if to say hello to those in those tour boats.
This constant interaction allows both whales and captains to familiarize each other.
However, we should be more careful and mindful of our interactions with them.
These gentle giants of the sea are at high risk of extinction.
Gray whales’ status is endangered in Western North Pacific and is protected throughout their range.
SOURCE: UNSPLASH – JOSH WITHERS
The biggest threats to their existence are habitat degradation, disturbance from shore to surface activities, ocean noise, and climate change.
Learn more about the conservation and management efforts to save gray whales here.
Watch this adorable interaction between Paco and the gray whale in the video below.
