Drone captures rare humpback whale birth off New South Wales coast

On 28 July 2026 a drone operated by wildlife photographer Alexander Forrest recorded the birth of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) near the coast of New South Wales, Australia. The footage shows the adult female moving unusually slowly, a plume of blood in the water, and the newborn calf surfacing for its first breath before the mother returns to protect it.

The event is the fourth complete humpback‑whale birth ever documented on video and the first captured by an unmanned aerial vehicle. The Organization for Rescue and Research of Cetaceans (ORRCA) in Australia confirmed the rarity, noting that such observations provide valuable data on cetacean reproductive behavior and early calf development. Researchers plan to analyse the footage and associated field notes for scientific publication.