COmpeting Males and Baby Whales, A Dangerous combination

The calm, shallow warm waters of the Chiriqui Gulf seem like the perfect place for humpback whale calves to be born.  We often see moms and babies lazing at the surface of the water or traveling slowly, everything peaceful and calm. However, this year we have seen several "competitive groups" that include a small calf. Competetive groups are when a group of males are competing to mate with a female, and involve agressive behavior between the males. It's a bit alarming to see very small calves amongst fully grown adults who are hurling their bodies at each other. 

This calf throws its tail in the air with mom nearby. It was hard to see, but some of us in the boat thought the mom actually batted the calf, perhaps trying to get it out of the way of nearby agressive males.

This mom and calf pair are trying to get away from several males in hot pursuit

They kept swimming towards our boat, maybe seeking refuge