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'The friendliest whales in the world', Baja California, Mexico - Aug 2010
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Mark Carwardine/Solent News / Rex Features ( 1215810d )
The Friendliest Whales In The World
Massive whales once known as 'devil fish' for the way they attacked whalers have become so friendly they now rest their chins on boats - and demand to be tickled.
The 45-feet-long adult grey whales encourage their young calves to approach boats and have their backs and tongues scratched in their breeding lagoons.
They have been described by experts as the 'frendliest whales in the world'.
If their petting demands go unnoticed they swim to tourists on others boats in the hope of getting more attention.
The playful whales even swim under boats and lift them out of the water, both thrilling and scaring the tourists at the same time.
Local fishermen who lead the boat tours in San Ignacio, Mexico, have become so used to living with the whales they now refer to them as 'friendlies'.
Zoologist and television presenter Mark Carwardine, 51, photographed the whales while on a trip to the Central American country.
He has visited for the last 20 years.
Mark said: "Seventy years ago these whales were being viciously hunted and they fought back aggressively.
"They would smash boats with their tails and leap on them, so they became known locally as devil fish.
"Since the late 1930s, however, the grey whale has been protected and they have gone from being in danger of extinction, with 100 or 200 left, to almost 26,000.
"They know the local fishermen are no longer a threat and have become the friendliest whales in the world.
"They come up to these small fibreglass boats, which are a few metres long, and place their chins on the side to be scratched and tickled.
"They also encourage their calves to do the same. It is very much like a dog sitting at your feet near the fire."
He added: "I would never normally agree with touching wild...
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