18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
The hug

This mum and baby humpback displayed extreme curiosity towards me as I photographed them from a few feet below the surface. It's hard to imagine an animal being so trusting of us even after our torrid history of slaughtering these animals. Some of those individuals that succumbed to our hunting this mother may have known, as these hunts still occurred in recent years in the home waters near Antarctica.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2019
Date Uploaded: 11.2020
Photo Location: Moorea, French Polynesia
Copyright: © Caine Delacy