A horrifying moment caught on video by a drone is helping to raise awareness of why boaters need to take care in wildlife-migration areas. Mauricio Tassara was operating the drone, filming a gray whale mother and her calf, when, suddenly, a speed boat raced through the frame, nearly colliding with the animals.
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The Marine Mammal Care Center, a non-profit care center in San Pedro, California, shared Tassara’s dramatic footage, asking the online community to: “Help us protect these locals!”
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“During peak gray whale migration periods, boaters should remain especially alert and watch carefully for whales in the area,” wrote the Marine Mammal Care Center in its Instagram post. “Reducing speed and operating with caution can lower the risk of collisions. If whales are sighted, vessels should maintain a distance of at least 100 yards and avoid approaching, crossing their path, or otherwise altering their natural behavior.”
Watch the moment a speed boat nearly collides with a whale here:
Header stock image by Dado Daniela/Getty Images
