The moment a mother humpback whale lifted up her calf to take its first breath has been captured on camera in Australia.
The footage from researchers were surveying humpback whales off Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia is also thought to be the first time a humpback whale has been filmed giving birth in the wild.
On closer inspection, they noticed a calf struggling to breath before the mother dived beneath the surface to lift up her new born and allow it to take its first breath.
"The cow held the calf gently in this position for about 10 seconds while it took what we now understand to be its first breath of life," said Micheline Jenner of the Centre for Whale Research.
After taking its first breath the calf was able to swim in the water beside its mother.
The newborn, named Tantabiddi after the entrance to the reef where it was born, would have measured about five metres long and weighed up to 1½ tonnes. Its mother, up to 15 metres long, could have weighed up to 45 tonnes.
On closer inspection, they noticed a calf struggling to breath before the mother dived beneath the surface to lift up her new born and allow it to take its first breath.
"The cow held the calf gently in this position for about 10 seconds while it took what we now understand to be its first breath of life," said Micheline Jenner of the Centre for Whale Research.
After taking its first breath the calf was able to swim in the water beside its mother.
The newborn, named Tantabiddi after the entrance to the reef where it was born, would have measured about five metres long and weighed up to 1½ tonnes. Its mother, up to 15 metres long, could have weighed up to 45 tonnes.
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