scubaseason

Blue Whale

Balaenoptera musculus

Sighting evidence at Blue Whale Alley, Mirissa

The southwest tip of Sri Lanka sits at the edge of a submarine canyon that channels Antarctic upwellings loaded with euphausid krill, drawing blue whales in higher concentrations than anywhere else on earth. Individuals here are predominantly from the Northern Indian Ocean sub-population and often show relaxed, slow-travelling behaviour rather than feeding dives, giving extended surface-time encounters. Groups of two to four are commonly seen travelling together during peak January-to-April season.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

Blue Whale is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.