Mama sea creature and baby spotted during ‘feeding frenzy.’ See ‘mind blowing’ photos

A massive sea creature and her baby took advantage of the copious amounts of fish off the California coast.

The pictures of the “feeding frenzy” are “mind blowing,” according to an Oct. 1 Facebook post by Monterey Bay Whale Watch.

A mama humpback whale and her baby were seen lunge feeding on Sept. 28, the whale watching group said.

The skies were clear so viewers were able to see the “massive bait balls” of anchovies in the water, the post said.

In preparation for the colder months, humpbacks tend to spend most of their time feeding to help store fat, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The “stars of the show,” Flopsy and Mopsy, are a “favorite mom and calf pair of the season,” the post read.

Flopsy, in her 40s, suffered nerve damage after getting tangled in fishing gear, leaving her with a “floppy” form.

Humpback whales usually birth a calf every two to three years, the NOAA said. Calves are in their mother’s womb for 11 months, measuring between 13 feet and 16 feet long, and stay with their mother for a year before weaning, the NOAA said.

Flopsy’s injuries haven’t stopped her from teaching Mopsy how to lunge feed, as mama and baby both have been seen in recent feeding groups, the whale watch group said.

Monterey is about a 120-mile drive southeast of San Francisco.

This story was originally published October 1, 2024 at 5:16 PM with the headline "Mama sea creature and baby spotted during ‘feeding frenzy.’ See ‘mind blowing’ photos."