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Community Corner

Half-Tailed Blue Whale a Fan Favorite

Nicknamed Hook, its left tail fluke is mostly missing, possibly sheared off by a large boat's propeller.

Capt. Hook was missing his left hand. This Hook is missing his left tail fluke.

Hook is a blue whale spotted last weekend by Dana Point Whale Watching passengers aboard Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari. 

They witnessed the blue whale off Dana Point, lunge feeding at the surface on krill. Krill is a tiny, shrimp-like crustacean, consumed by blue whales in amounts of up to 4 tons a day.

Hook has become a passenger and crew favorite. The crew speculates the whale losts most of its left tail fluke in an unfortunate run-in with a large-boat propeller.

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But that hasn't slowed Hook down.

Despite its handicap, Hook is a healthy looking mammal – and, much to the delight of whale-watching passengers, it likes to show off nearly every time it dives, according to the Dana Point Whale Watching crew.

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