Off the coast of Maui, this group of whalewatchers got to witness a humpback whale come way closer than they had ever hoped — and actually smash directly into their boat.
Humpbacks are a massive species of baleen whales, often measuring more than fifty feet in length and weighing up to nearly 80,000 pounds. These migratory animals can be found in any ocean around the world depending on the time of year.
These animals tend to feed in the colder, polar waters while they migrate to tropical and subtropical areas to mate and breed.
Their diet consists primarily of small fish and kirill and they do not historically attack humans. Humpback whales are a friendly species that have been observed interacting with groups of bottlenose dolphins and other whales, such as the southern right whale.
In addition, humpback whales have even been documented protecting seals and other groups of whales from attacks by killer whales. They will attack killer whales if provoked.
Flipper flapping is not unusual behavior, often used in play and also as a hunting to technique to stun small fish and prey. This behavior demonstrated as the whale approached the boat is not unusual, but curious.
It is not clear why the whale swam into the boat. The boat had its motors turned off, so the whale may have simply not been paying attention to the surface. Or the whale could have intentionally swam into this boat, for a variety of possible reasons.
