The whales, one adult and one juvenile, were seen hunting at the De Gi-Vung Boi sea region of Phu Cat District, about 1 km from the shore. Fishermen have reported seeing them since Friday.
Tran Van Tai, a local tour guide, used boats to ride to the location and took video of the whales hunting on Sunday. The whales could be seen going up and down to the water’s surface to eat small fish, as birds flew above them.
In August last year, a pod of whales was also spotted in the De Gi-Vung Boi sea region, attracting tourists and photographers.
"They might be a pair of mother-child whales coming back to hunt. This year, the young whale is bigger and longer," Tai said. The adult whale seen this year spans around 15-16 m in length, while the juvenile one spans 10-12 m.
The Binh Dinh Department of Fisheries said large schools of fish gathered in the De Gi sea regions this year, which might explain why the whales came.
The Center for Biodiversity Conservation and Endangered Species said the whales, which appeared in Binh Dinh were Bryde’s whales, whose mother whales often pick peaceful sea regions with lots of food sources to rest and raise their young.
The fact that the whales chose the De Gi sea region as their hunting site is also a sign that the coastal environment of Binh Dinh has improved and can accommodate the whales’ needs, it said.