Drone Captures Rare Glimpse Of Blue Whale Mother And Her Calf

The biggest animals on the planet like you've never seen them before.

Anti-whaling activists have shared remarkable drone footage showing a blue whale mother swimming alongside her calf.

The MV Steve Irwin was searching for poachers in late January as part of "Operation Icefish 2015-16" when the ship happened upon the massive animals.

"The ship ... encountered the pair while on the search for illegal activity on the high seas," said a post on the ship's official Facebook page.

Crew members dispatched a drone and recorded the unbelievable sighting.

The blue whale is known to grow up to 100 feet long and weigh upwards of 200 tons, according to National Geographic.

"Spotting a blue whale from the deck of the Steve Irwin is a thrill, but being able to film the biggest animals on the planet from the air is truly awe-inspiring," Gavin Garrison, a drone pilot and crew member, said in the post.

The ship, named for the late "Crocodile Hunter" star Steve Irwin, has been featured on the Animal Planet show "Whale Wars."

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