Imagine swimming along, minding your own business, hunting for fish, when suddenly, you find yourself in the mouth of one of the ocean’s largest creatures. That’s exactly what happened to a seemingly bewildered seal off the coast of Anacortes, Washington, on September 12, 2024.
During a whale-watching trip hosted by Blue Kingdom Whale and Wildlife Tours, a group of spectators witnessed something truly bizarre. A humpback whale, known as “Zillion” by locals, was feeding on a school of fish when it unintentionally scooped up more than it bargained for—a seal.
This isn’t an everyday occurrence, but it’s also not impossible. Humpback whales use a feeding technique called lunge feeding, where they open their mouths wide and swallow a massive amount of water and fish in one go. And this time? The unlucky seal just happened to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time.
The Moment Captured: A Seal’s Bewilderment
Captain Tyler McKeen of Blue Kingdom Tours described the spectacle as both funny and surreal. After the whale lunged toward its prey and began filtering the water out, everyone noticed something strange—Zillion surfaced, opening and closing its mouth in a manner that suggested something unusual was going on.
Photographs and videos were quickly reviewed, and that’s when it was confirmed: the poor seal had been scooped up with the fish!
“It only took a couple of seconds for everybody to pull up the frames and zoom in,” McKeen said. “That’s when we saw the seal. It was a funny, funny moment for everybody. I mean, it probably wasn’t that funny for the seal.”
McKeen, who captured a video of the moment, added that the seal was eventually flushed out, likely as bewildered as the whale watchers were. But hey, at least it didn’t end up as an accidental snack!
Do Whales Eat Seals? Not Quite.
The good news for our seal friend? Humpback whales aren’t interested in them. These gentle giants feed primarily on small fish and krill, using their baleen plates to filter their meals from the water. Seals, on the other hand, are top predators in their own right, often hunting the same fish whales feast on.
So, while this close call was an unfortunate mix-up, the seal was never really in danger of becoming part of the whale’s dinner. If anything, it was just a case of mistaken identity in the chaos of a feeding frenzy.
A Symbol of Nature’s Surprises
Nature has a way of surprising us. Whether it’s a bird flying too close to the water or a seal mistakenly swallowed by a whale, these moments remind us of the unpredictability of the animal kingdom. They also highlight the fascinating behaviors of humpback whales, which have made a remarkable comeback in the Salish Sea after being hunted to near extinction.
In fact, over the last 25 years, humpback whale populations have rebounded in the area, much to the delight of whale-watching enthusiasts. Once a rare sight, these majestic creatures are now regular visitors, gracing the inland waters between British Columbia and Washington state during their migrations.
Why Seals and Whales Share the Same Waters
You might wonder, with all that open ocean, why would a seal and a whale cross paths so dramatically? Well, it all boils down to one thing—food. The Salish Sea is rich with schools of small fish, attracting various marine life. Seals, birds, and whales all converge on these hotspots, sometimes leading to comical—and nearly catastrophic—encounters like this one.
But if you’re a seal, it’s probably best to keep your distance from lunging humpbacks, just in case.
The Takeaway: Nature’s Incredible Encounters
If this story teaches us anything, it’s that nature is full of surprises. One minute, you’re on a whale-watching tour, marveling at the majesty of the humpback whale; the next, you’re witnessing a seal pop out of a whale’s mouth like a scene from a comedy.
While it might seem like an absurd and rare event, moments like these are a testament to the intricate dance of predator and prey in our oceans. And, as the whale-watching tour proved, it’s always worth keeping your camera ready. You never know what you’ll capture when nature decides to throw a curveball!
So, what’s next for our bewildered seal? Hopefully, a more peaceful hunt far from the mouth of any whales. But who knows—maybe it’ll think twice the next time it dives for fish in a whale’s feeding grounds.
Call-to-Action: Want to Witness Nature’s Wonders?
If you’re ready for your own close encounter with the incredible marine life of the Pacific Northwest, book a trip with Blue Kingdom Whale and Wildlife Tours. Who knows—you might just see something as unbelievable as a seal in a whale’s mouth.