WHALE WATCHERS off the coast of Baltimore in west Cork got a treat when a breaching minke whale was spotted launching itself out of the water.
A passenger on a whale watching vessel, Brendan O'Neill, caught the awesome moment on camera.
According to WDC, minke whales and are found in oceans all over the world but they prefer cooler temperatures, are frequently seen in coastal and inshore waters and are less common in tropical waters.
Minke whales are mainly solitary, although recent research on dwarf minke whales in the Great Barrier Reef reveal they are more social and communicative than previously believed.
The whales are "relatively fast swimmers, occasionally spy hopping and breaching".
WDC states "When they surface to breathe, their snout appears first. These whales can stay underwater for as long as 20 minutes."
The maximum length of a male minke whale is approximately 9.8 metres, while females can be up tp 10.7m in length.
See the pictures from Whale Watch West Cork below and scroll down to watch more marine life filmed off the Cork coast...
Check out these dolphins filmed off Baltimore harbour...
After an amazing week of breaching humpbacks, breaching minke whales, bottlenose dolphins, basking sharks and harbour porpoises we should not forget the stunning encounters with common dolphins... Off #BaltimoreHarbour #WestCork
Baltimore Whale and Dolphin Watch
Posted by Whale Watch West Cork on Friday, June 3, 2016
