Humpback whale leaps with joy as it follows whale-watching boat

Humpback whales are possibly the most awe-inspiring and well-loved animals in all of the oceans. Known for their curious and gentle nature, as well as their spectacular leaping breaches from the water, seeing one up close is a bucket list item for many people. These very fortunate tourists had ventured to Tonga, the preferred summer location of the humpbacks. This is where they mate and give birth, in a world without predators. The tourists had come from all over the world in the hope of having an experience with these beautiful animals.

These people had been swimming with the whales throughout the week and they followed their guides in search of whales that were relaxing near the surface. Carefully watching their behavior allows the guides to safely place guests in the water and also allows them to strictly enforce the rules that protect the whales from being harmed or stressed by the encounters. This whale was leaping with complete joy, seemingly wanting to give these guests a show. It even waved its pectoral fins and tail, as if communicating with them. These whales are often curious about humans in the water as well as in the boats and it is not unheard of for them to put on what seems like an intentional performance.

Wisely, the guides and whale-watchers enjoyed this show from the boat. Being close to a 60 ton animal as it breaches and falls back into the water is not advisable for anyone. The guests were thrilled to watch and record from the safety of the tour boat. But, when it was time to leave the area, the whale actually followed them and performed a series of magnificent leaps alongside their boat. Needless to say, the guests were delighted and they cheered and clapped to show their appreciation for this behavior. The guests had completely fallen in love with this majestic whale and they were left with unforgettable memories and footage of what seemed to be a shared moment and true communication with the humpback.

Until as recently as 100,000 years ago, whales and their kind were the most intelligent creatures on the planet, even surpassing the intellectual capacity of our own ancestors. How they evolved into the biggest creatures to ever live on our planet is a mystery that has not been unraveled to this day, despite the studies that have been conducted. Yet, sadly, these incredible creatures are still being killed for their oil and meat. Living well over 100 years and possessing a very sophisticated ability to communicate, we can't help but wonder what the whales are thinking and saying about our kind and about our treatment of them.