To express her point she stated, “it’s funny how the tables are turned here: I’ve spent the past 28 years protecting whales, and in the moment, I didn’t even realize that they were protecting me!”
For centuries, dolphins have been recorded as being highly intelligent and caring ocean mammals. There have been numerous cases in which dolphins have behaved in ways that protect humans from dangerous situations. They’ve even saved human lives.
However, such cases are essentially unheard of when it comes to whales. Although Hauser has some of the only recorded footage, there is some scientific research that might point to humpbacks having extraordinary kindness when it comes to protecting other animals.
During their migrations, humpback whales travel to the waters of the South Pacific to breed and rear their young during the austral winter. As a species, humpbacks tend to band together in packs, especially when traveling with their young. This is something that is common among other mammals around the world.
With this in mind, it’s understandable why the second whale was in the vicinity during Hauser’s experience. Although humpbacks were once poached to the verge of extinction, their numbers are thankfully on the rise. Now, to ensure their safety, they band together to protect their young.
