As millions of people languish in coronavirus-induced lockdowns, it seems the natural world is enjoying the respite from humans, as two fin whales, second in size only to the blue whale, were spotted off the coast of France.
The pair were snapped basking in the waters off the Calanques National Park, Marseille on Tuesday by a maritime patrol keeping tabs on activity in the nature reserve.
The head of the national park board, Didier Reault, described it as a “very, very rare” sighting, especially given how close the patrol boat came to the pair.
Whales typically stay further out in the Mediterranean, but the lull in normally bustling maritime traffic thanks to the coronavirus lockdowns around the world has opened up their playground a little more.
Reault said that the giant, majestic creatures were “clearly rediscovering their confidence and peace.”
Fin whales typically weigh up to 70 tons and can grow to over 20 meters (65 feet) in length.
“We must not content ourselves with a 30-second video,” Reault noted. “We should tell ourselves that if we want to keep seeing [nature], we must know how to respect it.”
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