What to Do If You Are Swallowed by a Humpback Whale
Commercial lobster fisherman Michael Packard claims he was caught by a humpback whale while diving in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, last summer. Speaking of his experience, he told local Boston television, “I felt this huge hit and everything went dark. Then I felt everything around and realized that there were no teeth, and I really did not feel much pain. And then I realized: “My God, I’m in the mouth of a whale.” I’m in the mouth of a whale and he’s trying to swallow me.”
While the chances of being swallowed by a humpback whale are extremely low, it’s possible, and there’s nothing wrong with being prepared just in case you ever find yourself on the wrong side of a whale’s herding. I spoke with a PhD in biology. student Valeria Paz from Florida International University on how you should respond if this happens to you.
The best way not to be swallowed by a whale
First, whales are not interested in eating humans – humpback whales will never target a human and will only swallow them by accident (if that’s any consolation). Humpback whales feed in a process called “filtration” where they swallow huge gulps of seawater laden with krill and other small fish, strain the water through their baleen, and then swallow the prey. You will only be in their mouths if you are in their feeding path.
The first solution is to brush up on your whale migration models. Paz explains: “Humpback whales only swim in certain areas at certain times of the year, so it’s good to know when [they are in your area].” Knowing the nature of their migration, you can assess whether you should expect to see a humpback whale during the dive. If you’re diving during humpback whale season, Paz recommends staying away from murky waters. She says, “If you can’t see very well, imagine the whales can’t see you either. If they are feeding in the area and it’s dark outside, it’s probably best not to be around them.”
What to do if you are swallowed by a whale
Even if you get swallowed by a humpback whale, not all hope is lost. According to Paz, she estimates the chances of you coming out of a fight completely unscathed is about 50/50. She explains: “If a whale detects that a person is in its mouth, it will most likely open its mouth immediately, rather than crush it.” You’ll want to do everything you can to show the humpback whale that it has swallowed something atypical.
“Personally, I would try to make some strong movements, perhaps with my arms or legs, to show that I am here,” says Paz. She further explained that a human can’t do much harm from the inside, so you don’t have to worry about hurting a whale (if that bothers you). Also, the reason humpback whales tend to eat small fish and krill is because they can’t eat anything much larger. Because their throats can only expand to about 15 inches in diameter, a whale cannot fully stuff a human into its stomach. The biggest risk you face in this situation is getting scratched by their bristle-like whalebone plates that they have instead of teeth. If you can stay calm and avoid those baleen whales, you stand a chance of not only coming out of the situation with minimal injury, but coming out of it with a killer story to tell at your next cocktail party.