Pair of rarely seen whales spotted swimming off coast of Thailand. See the video

A pair of Bryde’s whales were recently spotted off the coast of Thailand, providing a special treat for onlookers.

The marine mammals — which are rarely observed in Thai waters — were seen swimming off Bang Saphan, about 220 miles south of Bangkok, on March 6, according to a Facebook post from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

They were first noticed by local fishermen, who reported their sighting to national parks officials. The officials then traveled to the area and found both whales swimming about half a mile from shore.

A video posted by national parks officials shows one of the whales feeding at the surface, with its mouth agape. The pair can then be seen diving below the waves together.

Ekkarit Duangmala, a parks official, said the sighting is a welcome occurrence that indicates the abundance of life in the area.

Boaters were asked to keep their distance from the whales to avoid disturbing them.

Bryde’s whales — pronounced “broodus” — are a member of the baleen family, and they are named after Johan Bryde, a 20th century Norwegian whaler, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

They are found throughout temperate stretches of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, though little is known about their populations.

Roughly 100 individuals have been observed in the Gulf of Thailand, according to the Bangkok Post. They are classified as a protected species by the country’s government, according to the Guardian.

Measuring up to 55 feet, they are typically found in pairs or alone, according to NOAA.

The marine mammals consume more than 1,000 pounds of food per day, with their diet largely consisting of krill, shrimp, sardines and other fish.

The species is threatened by vessel strikes, ocean noise and energy exploration, according to NOAA.

Google Translate was used to translate a Facebook post from the Thai Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

This story was originally published March 7, 2025 at 2:31 PM with the headline "Pair of rarely seen whales spotted swimming off coast of Thailand. See the video."