Drone Captures First-Ever Aerial Footage of Humpback Whale Giving Birth

On July 28, wildlife photographer Alexander Forrest captured what may be the first-ever aerial video of a humpback whale giving birth. While he was documenting the annual migration along the 'humpback highway' in northern New South Wales, Australia, the 20-year-old noticed an adult female whale moving slowly in shallow waters. After sending up his drone, Forrest initially thought a predator was present due to a large red cloud in the water, but then a gray calf emerged, indicating a birth had taken place. The footage shows the calf's first tail movements, its first breath, and swimming with its mother. He shared the findings with ORRCA, where drone operators Tanya Snowden and Dominic Cotter-Dephoff helped document the calf's early experiences. Annie Post from ORRCA noted that only three humpback births have been recorded, making this aerial footage remarkable for understanding whale reproduction. PetaPixel reported on this on August 5, 2026.