Largest animal on Earth spotted off California coast chasing food. See it

Boaters off the coast of California got the chance to see some “great species diversity.”

The “abundant” amount of krill in the bay brought fin whales and blue whales to the area, according to a July 2 Facebook post by the Monterey Bay Whale Watch.

Fin whales are the second-largest whale species on the planet and have a “distinctive coloration – black or dark brownish-gray on the back and sides and white on the underside,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Onlookers got the chance to spot the blue whales chasing their food along with a nursery of Risso’s dolphins, the group said.

Blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, can weigh up to 330,000 pounds and grow to 110 feet long, making their length about the same as the height of a 10-story building, according to NOAA.

The group even got the chance to snag some views of “tail lobbing humpback whales.”

Throughout the day, groups spotted 3 blue whales, 42 humpback whales and 47 Risso’s dolphins, boaters said.

Users rushed to the comments to share their thoughts on the photos with one person saying, “Beautiful!”

“Great photos!” another wrote.

Monterey is about a 120-mile drive south from San Francisco.

This story was originally published July 3, 2025 at 12:02 PM with the headline "Largest animal on Earth spotted off California coast chasing food. See it."