USA: Marine biologist Nan Hauser has recounted an extraordinary encounter in the Cook Islands, where a humpback whale appeared to shield her from danger. While diving, she noticed the whale behaving unusually, pushing and nudging her for about ten minutes instead of swimming away. At first she feared it was being aggressive, but then she spotted a large tiger shark nearby.
Hauser now believes the whale’s behavior was deliberate and protective, echoing a known phenomenon where humpbacks show altruism toward seals, dolphins, and even humans threatened by predators. This event has been cited as one of the clearest examples of such interspecies intervention in the wild.
Days later, Hauser experienced another remarkable moment when a different humpback approached her boat, gently encircled her with its fins, and gave what she described as a “whale hug.” The second encounter reinforced her belief that these massive mammals can act with empathy and awareness far beyond what was once assumed.
Her story has since gone viral among marine researchers and conservationists, sparking fresh debate on the emotional intelligence of whales and their role in ocean ecosystems. It also underscores how direct human contact with large marine life can reveal behaviors science has only begun to understand.
