Baby pictures

One of the primary reasons humpback whales are migrating to the Gulf of Chiriqui here in Panama is to mate and give birth. We get to see a lot of moms and babies (also called cow-calf pairs) during our surveys, and we never get tired of seeing them. Even though the calves are already 12-15 feet when they are born, they seem very small next to mom. Here are some of our favorite photos from this year.

The head of the calf is emerging from the water next to mom's dorsal fin

Mom and calf are waving their pectoral flippers in the air...note the size difference!

This calf has a lot of barnacles on its head as it surfaces next to mom... Can you see the eye?

Surfacing in unison

Calm waters