February 10, 2017 - In early February, passengers on a whale-watching tour thought they spotted what appeared to be three gray whales mating off the coast of Newport Beach, California. In reality, the whales were orchestrating an elaborate courtship, something their species does often. They roll and rub to familiarize themselves with one another and to make sure the female is receptive to mating. The footage was shot via drone by Mark Girardeau.
Read more about the elaborate courtship behavior of gray whales.Learn more about gray whales.