Teenager In Fishing Boat Removes Rubbish Stuck On A Whale's Head. Then The Whale Showed Its Appreciation

August 15, 2015

The whale seemed to stare straight at him. Fisherman Ivan Iskenderian watched it swim within a few feet of his boat in Sydney's Middle Harbour.

As the whale rose from the water, he saw a plastic bag and some fishing line stuck near its mouth. He reached out his hand and snatched them away.

His friend Michael Riggio snapped a photograph of the close encounter, calling it a "once-in-a-lifetime" selfie.

Photo: Michael Riggio

"It was a bit daunting but the whale was very calm," Iskenderian said. "He came up to the boat a couple of times, putting his head out of the water. There was a plastic bag and fishing line sitting on the side of his mouth, and it seemed like he wanted it taken off. So I dropped my phone, reached over and just grabbed it."

The young southern right whale then repeatedly slapped its fin on the water.

"Apparently that's what they do when they're relaxed," he added. "It seemed quite happy. It could have been a kind of thank you."

Watch the video below: