Friendly humpback stuns whale watcher by giving him a high-five with its massive fin 

This man was stunned when he received a high five from a thirty-ton whale.

Remarkable footage showed one lucky man high-fiving a 40-foot-long whale as a crowd of whale-watchers gasped with excitement.

Setting off from Lahaina Harbor, Hawaii in February this year, the North Pacific humpback whale was spotted two miles from shore, where it hung out for half-an-hour just four-feet away. 

Video shows the boatload of tourists cheering as the humpback’s fin can be seen emerging from the water before it waves in the direction of a couple sat towards the end of the boat.

As the whale’s fin moves closer, one man who takes the rare opportunity to give it a high five, much to the delight of his fellow whale watchers.

Incredible footage showed one man hi-fiving a humpback as whale-watchers gasped in Hawaii

Toni Colombo, who filmed the video and is a manger at Ultimate Whale Watch and Snorkel, said: ‘On this day, dozens were slapping their tails and spouting.

‘No sooner had Captain Joel Kenney turned off our engines when this curious humpback began making its way slowly and gracefully towards us’. 

When a whale swims within a close distance to a boat, it is colloquially referred to as ‘whale mugging’. 

Toni added: ‘The humpback whale lifted its pectoral fin and started showing off for us, seemingly aiming to high-five a guest who was surprised at the graceful manoeuvre, but the guests knew not to touch the whale.

‘We were all so amazed by this encounter and once again the gentleness and body awareness of these giant creatures. 

Experts say more than ten thousand humpbacks move to the shallow and warm waters of the Maui Nui Basin in Hawaii, making it prime for awesome aerial performances such as these

‘Each year over ten thousand humpbacks move to the shallow and warm waters of the Maui Nui Basin, making it prime for awesome aerial performances such as these.

‘They migrate to mate and give birth before returning to Alaska later in the year.

‘This incredible experience reminds us how alive the ocean is, and how everything we do impacts it and the creatures that live there.

‘Any chance you have to reduce single-use plastics, recycle, and use reef-safe sun cream, please take the time to do it. These big guys need all the help they can get.’

Humpback whales are protected in Hawaii and all federal protection laws were adhered to during this filming.

Ultimate Whale Watch did not approach this whale closer than 300 feet; this whale approached the vessel by its own free will, in which case the vessel is required to refrain from moving to protect the whale.

An iPhone was used to shoot the clip in February this year which has over 40,000 views on Instagram. 

HUMPBACK WHALE POPULATIONS AND THEIR THREATS

Humpback whales live in oceans around the world. They travel incredible distances every year and have one of the longest migrations of any mammal on the planet. 

Some populations swim 5,000 miles from tropical breeding grounds to colder, plentiful feeding grounds – this is why it is difficult to estimate population size, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Of the 14 distinct populations, 12 are estimated to number more than 2,000 humpback whales each and two are estimated to number fewer than 2,000. 

Humpback whales live in oceans around the world. They travel incredible distances every year and have one of the longest migrations of any mammal on the planet

Some populations (such as those off eastern and western Australia) are believed to number in excess of 20,000 animals—a remarkable recovery given that the same populations were almost eradicated by whaling almost sixty years ago. 

By contrast, the smallest known population is one which inhabits the Arabian Sea year-round, and may number as few as 80 individuals. 

Threats to humpback whales include decline in food like Krill due to a combination of climate change and industrial-scale fishing.

Humpback whales can become entangled by many different gear types including moorings, traps, pots, or gillnets. 

Once entangled, if they are able to move the gear, the whale may drag and swim with attached gear for long distances, ultimately resulting in fatigue, compromised feeding ability, or severe injury. 

There is evidence to suggest that most humpback whales experience entanglement over the course of their lives, but are often able to shed the gear on their own. 

Inadvertent vessel strikes can injure or kill humpback whales. 

Humpback whales are vulnerable to vessel strikes throughout their range, but the risk is much higher in some coastal areas with heavy ship traffic. 

Underwater noise threatens whale populations, interrupting their normal behaviour and driving them away from areas important to their survival. 

Sound has been shown to increase stress hormones in their system and mask the natural sounds humpback whales require to communicate and locate prey. 

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