Incredible footage has emerged, showing the moment a man high-fived a 30-ton whale. Not something you see every day.
The man was out with a group of whale watchers who had set off from Lahaina Harbour, Hawaii, when the North Pacific humpback whale was spotted just a couple of miles from the shore.
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It stayed close by to the boat for around half an hour before deciding it wanted to high-five one of the lucky passengers.
When a whale swims near to a boat like this it's colloquially known as 'whale mugging', but I reckon they should change that to 'whale high-fiving' after seeing this video.
Manager of Ultimate Whale Watch & Snorkel Toni Colombo, who filmed the clip, said: "On this day, dozens were slapping their tails and spouting.
"No sooner had Captain Joel Kenney turned off our engines when this curious humpback began making its way slowly and gracefully towards us.
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"The humpback whale lifted its pec fin and started showing off for us, seemingly aiming to high-five a guest who was surprised at the graceful manoeuvre, but the guests knew not to touch the whale.
"We were all so amazed by this encounter and once again the gentleness and body awareness of these giant creatures.
"Each year over ten thousand humpbacks move to the shallow and warm waters of the Maui Nui Basin, making it prime for awesome aerial performances such as these. They migrate to mate and give birth before returning to Alaska later in the year.
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"This incredible experience reminds us how alive the ocean is, and how everything we do impacts it and the creatures that live there.
"Any chance you have to reduce single-use plastics, recycle, and use reef-safe sun cream, please take the time to do it. These big guys need all the help they can get."
The clip was posted online where its racked up thousands of views.
Humpback whales, such as the one in the clip, are protected in Hawaii and all protection laws were adhered to while it was filmed.
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The whale approached the boat of its own free will, meaning the vessel is required to refrain from moving in order to protect the animal.
Featured Image Credit: Media Drum World