Humpback whale interactions caught on camera

The following clips detail underwater interactions with southern humpback whales in the Tonga Islands in the South Pacific.

Each year, between July and October, thousands of humpback whales migrate from their feeding grounds in Antarctica to the South Pacific to breed, give birth, and raise their calfs. Their main activities include the following:

1. Mother-calf interactions: as the newly born calfs must feed on the mother’s milk in order to gain enough strength to make the crossing to Antarctica at just a few months old. The whales do not feed in Tonga, so the mothers are quite exhausted. The shallow waters in Tonga and Polynesia provide a natural safety barrier, as young calves can sometimes fall prey to orcas and false killer whales.

2. Heat runs: female whales in heat start a race for mating rights. Led by the female, the male whales race around, bumping each other in order to claim a key position behind the female and prove their genetic worthiness to mate. Younger adult males also join in on heat runs to learn how it’s done to improve their odds for the future.

3. Juvenile whales playing around (1-2 year old whales)

4. Adult pairs and small groups– they swim, sing and play with each other, and sometimes also play with dolphins as well (we observed this twice). Occasionally adult whales take a strong interest in playing with us floating/freediving humans as well, constantly trying to lift us onto their bellies while rolling around the surface of the water.