Until professional diver Anna Cawthray spotted a juvenile off the Isles of Scilly on February 20th, bowhead whales have never been seen offshore. It was immediately captured by Anna Cawthray. Just a few meters from Par Beach, on St. Martin’s island, was the 25 foot young whale. Ms. Cawthray captured the images using her friend’s cell phone. Ms. Cawthray stated that it was amazing to see a whale so close by shore. It was eagle-eyed and worried that it might be lost, but it made its way away in 15 minutes. This was an unforgettable experience. The mysterious bowhead whale, only a few meters from the shore. Image: Sea Watch Foundation. Ms. Cawthray emailed the photos to the Sea Watch Foundation. This is a national environmental charity that protects marine life. It is difficult to identify marine creatures when you take photos with your mobile phone. Above is a picture of a distant, curving back, with no dorsal fin. This led to local naturalists and her believing it to be a sperm-wale. Sea Watch Foundation Director and Founder, Dr Peter Evans said that the images presented a real challenge. Dr. Peter Evans, Sea Watch Foundation’s Founder and Director, stated that the images were challenging to enhance and sharpen in Adobe Photoshop. The photos were sent to American specialists who confirmed that it was a bowhead whale (Balaena mesticetus), which is a dark-coloured, stocky whale. It can reach meters in length and has no dorsal fin. The whale’s head. The first sighting of this rare species in British waters. This amazing sighting is the first in Europe, south of the Barents Sea, of such a sighting. The bowheads are found in the high Arctic and rarely seen further north than 2000 50 miles from the UK. Dr Evans stated that bowhead whales were unique among whale species because they are confined to the coldest areas of the globe, and almost never move beyond the edge of the ice. It may be a bit strange to see them so far south, especially when the seas warm, which encourages species to expand their ranges further north. Balaena mysticetus, a species in the Balaenidae right whale family is known as the bowhead whale. The entire time it lives, the bowhead whale spends in Arctic waters. They have a head length of 40%. They are plump and very rotund. Their bodies are flat and have a dorsal fin, but no dorsal one. The colour is usually dark except for the pale tip of their lower jaws. Bowhead whales live between 100 to 200 year. They are considered the longest-lived marine mammal. When they reach 20 year old, they become sexually mature.
