Humpback Whales Return to Rio: A Spectacle of Nature

Whale-Watching Season Begins in Rio de Janeiro with Stunning Sightings Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - The annual migration of humpback whales along the Brazilian coast has begun, as evidenced by recent sightings near Rio de Janeiro. On Sunday, June 26th, a humpback whale was observed near Posto 6 of Barra Beach, captivating onlookers. Surfboarder Lucas Medeiros captured the event on video, showing the whale's characteristic behavior, including leaping and fin-slapping. "It was an incredible sight," Medeiros recounted. "The whale was putting on a real show." A similar sighting took place in Arraial do Cabo several days earlier. While it's unclear if it was the same whale, the increased whale activity signals the start of the peak season. These whales undertake a long journey from the Antarctic to warmer waters in the Northeast, primarily off the coast of Bahia, where they breed. According to Projeto Jubarte, a whale monitoring organization, the number of whales sighted has risen dramatically from approximately 1,000 in 1998 to 30,000 last year. This increase highlights the success of conservation efforts and the growing importance of whale-watching tourism in Brazil.