A pair of rare fin whales have been spotted off the coast of Kaikōura, New Zealand yesterday (Friday 14 February). The once in a lifetime sighting was captured on Samsung phones by a group of New Zealand content creators.
Fin whale sightings are rarely recorded in New Zealand (or around the world), and the elusive species are considered vulnerable to extinction. They are the second largest whale species on the planet (second only to the blue whale), and can grow up to 26m long!
A group of content creators on a whale watching trip with South Pacific Helicopters were able to capture incredible footage on their Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultras.
Tima Savea, who captured this video , was the first to spot the beautiful creatures and said they had been up in the air for 15 minutes without seeing anything and were beginning to lose hope.
“All of a sudden, I spotted something white in the water and told our pilot who headed in closer. At first he thought it was just some white caps in the water but once we got closer we were absolutely shocked to see the two beautiful fin whales. Even more spectacular was the fact that they are so incredibly rare!”
Christchurch-based content creator, Sophie Stephens who was also on the trip, and posted this video said, “ It was such a breathtaking experience. I feel so blessed to be one of the few people who have seen these beautiful creatures in the wild. I was so excited to capture such a pinch me moment!
Daniel Stevenson, South Pacific Helicopters Pilot who has run whale watching and scenic flights in the area for more than 8 years said he was also thrilled to spot the rarely seen fin whales during the flight.
“As the second largest whale on the planet, witnessing these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat is a privilege that only a tiny fraction of people experience,” he said.
“Kaikōura truly offers a breathtaking array of marine life, from resident sperm whales to transient orcas and blue whales. This month has been exceptional, with sightings of pilot whales, humpbacks heading south, and even the first documented landing of a striped marlin. It’s an exciting time down here for both marine enthusiasts and anglers alike!”
The group of New Zealand content creators on the trip with South Pacific Helicopters were testing out the new features of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, which launched this month. The phone has an epic 200MP main camera with 2x optical quality zoom1, which captures life in breathtaking detail and vibrant, true-to-life colours. Its intuitive telephoto system also features an all-new 50MP ultra-wide lens, making it perfect for capturing distant subjects ( like fin whales from the air!) with incredible precision.