The coast of Rio de Janeiro is already welcoming some very special visitors: humpback whales. Last Sunday (26), one of these ocean giants was spotted near Posto 6 at Barra Beach, in Rio’s West Zone. The magical moment was captured by surfer Lucas Medeiros, who was in the water and witnessed the breathtaking show up close.
The scene amazed everyone nearby. The whale emerged performing acrobatic jumps and fin slaps — typical behaviors of the species during migration.
This wasn’t the only recent sighting. The previous Friday (24), another whale was seen in Arraial do Cabo, in the Região dos Lagos, confirming that the migration season is officially underway. It’s still unclear whether it was the same animal, but encounters like these are expected to become more frequent in the coming weeks.
The humpbacks are on an incredible migratory journey, leaving the freezing waters of Antarctica in search of the warmer seas of Northeast Brazil, especially off the coast of Bahia, where they breed and reproduce. This remarkable journey can exceed 4,000 kilometers.
According to Projeto Jubarte, an organization that has been studying and monitoring these whales for over 30 years, the population has shown significant recovery. In 1998, there were about 1,000 humpbacks along the Brazilian coast. Today, that number has surpassed 30,000 — a true victory for marine conservation.
Get your binoculars, your cameras, and of course, your diving gear ready. The season of giants has officially begun!
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