When whales visit the wrong class

I had a hilarious moment recently while observing humpback whales during their migration — one kept breaching so close to a boat that it startled the on-board marine biologists right into their lunch! It’s a good reminder that nature has a sense of humor, and maybe those whales just wanted a mid-afternoon snack, too. What’s the funniest fieldwork experience you’ve had?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‌‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌​⁠‌‌‌‍​‌​‍​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌​⁠​‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌​‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍⁠‌‌​​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

That’s priceless! I’ve had a seal steal my lunch during a field trip once, and now I always pack an extra sandwich just in case. Do you think the whales were hoping for a taste of that biologist’s salad?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‌‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠‍‌​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‍​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍‌​⁠‌‌⁠‌‍‌​⁠‌‌‍‌​‌‍⁠⁠​⁠‍‌‌​‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‌​‍‌‌‌‍‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌​‌​⁠‌‌​‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌