By Nakita Jager

ABC North Coast

Animals

Wednesday, 29 July 2026, 4:42 pm

Summary

A humpback whale gave birth, and a drone recorded it.

This happened near Kingscliff, New South Wales.

Next steps

The video will help scientists learn about whales.

A drone operator filmed a humpback whale giving birth.

The pilot, Alex Forrest, is one of four people to record this.

Alex saw the whale swimming slowly and started filming.

He didn't know what was happening until the baby came out.

Alex Forrest took the video of the whale birth.

He filmed from over 100 meters away, following the rules.

Alex has filmed many whales but was surprised by this.

He hopes the video helps scientists learn about whales.

Whale experts say the video is very helpful.

Dr. Vanessa Pirotta said the video is incredible.

People watch humpback whales often, but this is special.

This is a magical moment for an animal that can live 80 years.

The baby whale knew what to do when it was born.

This is the first time a drone has recorded a humpback whale birth.

The video will help compare to other whale births.

The mother and baby were seen near Kingscliff.

The mother was alone when she gave birth, which is unusual.

The video will be reviewed and help us learn about whales.

More data helps us understand whales and the ocean.

A scientist said the sighting is new and interesting.

The sighting might be due to more whales and better technology.

It helps us understand how animals and the environment change.

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