Whale breach seen during Paris Olympics surfing semifinal competition in Tahiti
With all eyes on the ocean during the final day of the Paris Olympics surfing competition in Tahiti on Monday afternoon, a surprise guest made an appearance: a whale
Whale breach seen during Paris Olympics surfing semifinal competition in Tahiti
Show all 2Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.With all eyes on the ocean during the final day of the Paris Olympics surfing competition in Tahiti on Monday afternoon, a surprise guest made an appearance: a whale.
A safe distance from athletes Tatiana Weston-Webb from Brazil and Brisa Hennessy of Costa Rica— who were competing in a semifinal match— the whale breached and gave spectators and photographers the Olympic moment of a lifetime.
It’s not uncommon for wild animals such as birds, seals and even sharks to appear while surfing around the world.
In Tahiti, where the 2024 Olympics surfing competition was held almost 10,000 miles way from the host city of Paris, whales gather around the islands during mating, birthing and migration season.
Tahiti also has several maritime protected zones. In April, Pacific Indigenous leaders— including some from Tahiti— signed a treaty recognizing whales as “legal persons,” although such a declaration is not reflected in the laws of participating nations.
___
AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.