Vaavu atoll wowed as blue whale makes rounds around the atoll

Mohamed Nawaz, an avid snorkeling enthusiast, first spotted the majestic 90 foot blue whale while out snorkeling on the eastern side of Alimathaa Resort in Vaavu atoll.

The blue whale's graceful manoeuvres in the crystal-clear waters of the Maldives were a heartwarming sight for him. Swimming along with it, Nawaz even managed to click a selfie with the majestic giant, which has now gone viral in the local social media space. He also captured videos of the whale the last week when it was first spotted as well.

Although whale spotting is not a common occurrence in Maldives as they are not native to the area, this blue whale has been making rounds around the atoll for about a week now. Everyday, many go out to the sea with cameras and drones in hopes of getting a glimpse of the animal, which those not in the atoll are able to enjoy via social media.

Nawaz, who is an excursion guide for tourists with Maafushi's tour agency Sea Monkey Maldives, said that the whale was first spotted last Saturday, with many reported sightings since then.

"It's still around, I saw it yesterday as well," Nawaz, who is also a great diver said.

"Yesterday it was seen in the middle of the Vaavu atoll Fulidhoo and Rihiveli channel.

While Maldivian waters are not a habitat for whales, it is a protected sea animal in the country. Although sightings like this are rare, carcasses have been reported to have washed up onto local islands from time to time.

Given that May-June is the migratory period for whales who live in the Atlantic Ocean to the northern seas, it is likely that this whale made a little pit stop on its way.

"There's a lot of food for them these days. [I] think that's the reason there are so many [sightings]," Nawaz said about the whales who normally have a diet of planktons, small fish and squids.

According to experts, the reason for whales migrating is in search for food and mating purposes as its original habitats start to heat up or cool down too much and food becomes scarce. So they swim over to areas with abundant food supply.

A study in the Marine Mammals Science Journal 2019, says that another reason whales travel to warmer or shallower areas is to improve their skin health.

Regardless of the reason, this blue whale's brief visit to the Maldives has been a very welcome one with many admiring its beauty.