They are the largest creatures to ever live on our planet – larger than any of the great dinosaurs – yet few people have seen one. They are one of the loudest animals on land or sea – but we struggle to hear them. They deliver the world’s largest babies, but despite their immense size, most of the places where blue whales calve their young have remained mysterious. National Geographic Channel is all set to take viewers into the ‘Kingdom of the Blue Whale’, premiering on Brand New Sunday, March 8 @ 8 pm. The film unveils the first underwater footage of a blue whale calf with the help of National Geographic Crittercam® technology.

Speaking about the Big Blue special, Rajesh Sheshadri, Senior Vice President – Content and Communication, National Geographic Channel India said, “At National Geographic Channel, we contribute to the National Geographic Society’s commitment to exploration, conservation and education through our unique and un-matched programming. We are proud to present ‘Kingdom of the Blue Whale’, a landmark initiative that opens a window into the world of the majestic blue whales.”

In many places, blue whales are so rare that experts know very little about them, but in most places we do know their future is threatened. Blue whales in the Eastern North Pacific population once numbered close to 10,000 animals, but over a century of whaling took its toll. Even though hunting of blue whales has been banned since the 1960s, today, fewer than 2,000 blues are left in what was the largest-known concentration on Earth – the Antarctic. In an effort to learn more about these behemoths and help to protect them, an international team of scientists supported by the National Geographic Society sets out on an expedition to unlock the secrets of the blue whale and investigate why more are dying than ever before.

Tracking the scientists’ efforts, the two-hour Kingdom of the Blue Whale special offers breathtaking HD footage of these majestic animals. The imagery captured of mother and baby blue whale is stunning and poignant. The baby blue whale – curious about its environment – swims towards the scientists’ research boat and passes just underneath the underwater photographers. Possible fetal folds still present on the youngster may prove that the calf is under one month old. Until now, no one has ever captured underwater footage of a blue whale calf. The research team also spots a juvenile loggerhead sea turtle and whale shark – both extremely rare to see.

The special takes viewers on a journey with the world’s prominent experts to explore the little known wintering grounds and chart the migratory paths of these elusive gentle giants – vital information if they are to be protected. After tagging fifteen blue whales with a special satellite technology to track their locations, scientists hope to follow some of these blue whales to an area stretching over one thousand kilometers known as the Costa Rica Dome in the Pacific Ocean to investigate these behaviours. The Dome acts as a nursery for many species, and the scientists suspect this is where some blue whales travel to mate and give birth.

Arriving at the Costa Rica Dome, the scientists face challenges to find their blues. Only three of the tagged whales have traveled to the Dome, and the researchers’ satellite tagging technology has a delay. Tracking an animal that spends virtually all of its life underwater and can travel up to 160-kilometres in any direction in 24-hours is like finding a needle in a haystackThe team’s luck finally changes as they capture a major moment in blue whale research: a mama blue swimming with her very small calf – one of the rarest sights in nature