Drone-recorded humpback whale birth

The event, first reported on 29 July 2026, captured a humpback whale calf being born off Kingscliff, northern New South Wales, from a drone operated by ORRCA volunteer Alex Forrest. It was the first drone recording of a whale birth and only the fourth complete humpback‑birth video worldwide, offering valuable data because such births were thought to occur mainly in tropical waters.

A follow‑up note two days later confirmed the footage as the fourth complete humpback birth ever filmed and the first captured by an unmanned aerial vehicle. ORRCA, together with researchers from Macquarie University, highlighted the rarity of the observation and its potential to improve understanding of humpback reproductive behavior during the region’s annual migration of roughly 50 000 whales.

A later report on 31 July described additional details visible in the footage: the mother moving unusually slowly, a plume of blood in the water, and the newborn surfacing for its first breath before the adult returned to protect it. ORRCA reiterated the scientific significance and said researchers will analyse the video and field notes for forthcoming publication.