Drone captures only fourth recorded humpback whale birth ever filmed

A drone pilot has captured what is believed to be only the fourth complete humpback whale birth ever recorded on film anywhere in the world — and the first time such an event has been documented by drone.

Alexander Forrest was conducting aerial observations of migrating humpback whales off the NSW north coast of Australia when he witnessed an adult female give birth in calm sea conditions. Working for the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (Orrca), Forrest's drone footage captured the newborn calf's first moments of life, including its first breath and the moment it united with its mother.

The rarity of witnessing a complete humpback whale birth on film underscores how seldom such events occur in the ocean and how difficult they are to document. The use of drone technology to capture this milestone represents a significant advance in marine wildlife observation, allowing researchers to record intimate moments in whale behaviour that would be nearly impossible to witness from a boat or shore.