A Whale's Unbelievable Act of Bravery Saved Her Life

Marine biologist Nan Hauser has been diving with whales for 28 years, but only recently did she witness something she had never seen before. Hauser was diving near the Cook Islands in the South Pacific, along with a film crew who came to capture her swimming with humpback whales. In a persistent and unusual manner, one whale swam up and began nudging her with its mouth and chin, and Hauser felt as if it was trying to tuck her under its pectoral fin.

"He just kept nudging me," Hauser recounts. "I tried to swim away repeatedly, but he was insistent. Eventually, he pushed me onto his fin. His eye was right next to me, and I couldn't understand what he was trying to tell me."

This strange interaction lasted for about ten minutes, and Hauser started imagining the worst. "I thought the film crew would capture my death," Hauser said. "One flick of a whale's tail and the pressure could break your bones."

But as it turned out, it wasn’t the whale Hauser needed to fear. She quickly realized there was a shark nearby, and the whale was doing everything it could to keep her away from it. Another female humpback whale continued to watch over Hauser and repeatedly struck the water with her tail. The sound could be heard for miles underwater.

"Finally, I took my eyes off the whale and saw something swimming very fast, its tail swaying from side to side," Hauser said. "Whales swim with their tails moving up and down... at that moment, I realized it was a tiger shark — and it was one of the biggest sharks I had ever seen in my life."

At this point, Hauser made her way back to the boat, and the whale lingered nearby to ensure she got on it safely. "I just put my hands over my face and started crying," Hauser said. "I can't say whether those were tears of relief that I was still alive or because I experienced the most amazing thing I've ever seen."

Humpback whales are known for their altruism, with several documented cases of them trying to save other animals from danger.

To this day, Hauser's encounter is the only documented case involving humans.

"Although it was a completely crazy experience, I feel deeply honored it happened," Hauser said. "It’s an amazing trait that they won’t hesitate to risk themselves for someone else."

Hauser came out of the experience with minor bruises, but it didn't stop her from returning to the water four days later. A female humpback followed their boat for miles, repeatedly breaching to catch their attention.

"I just knew it was the same female whale from that day, the one who thrashed the water," Hauser said. "I got in with her, and she dove down. I thought to myself, she probably didn't recognize me, but right beneath me, she came up with her beautiful pectoral fins and hugged me."