Witness a humpback whale birth caught on camera in Hawaii | National Geographic

Long before us, great Travelers were crossing our oceans, risking it all to ensure the future of the next generation. This female humpback whale is exhausted; she's journeyed 3,000 miles to escape the cold, stormy seas of Alaska and find sanctuary here in the predator-free waters of Hawaii. But she can't rest yet.

Thirty-ton males are hot on her tail, battling for a chance to mate. At this time of year, scientists observe these aggressive heat runs almost every day. But what happens next comes completely out of the blue. Suddenly, the chasing stops.

A tiny tail! This ocean Voyager is about to become a mom. Humpback births are so rarely witnessed; no one's ever been this close. Her pursuers seem to have had a change of heart; they've become her protectors. The lead male blows bubbles, forming a screen that allows this cautious mother a moment shared only between her and the deep.

Then something magical happens: a newborn calf, a boy. He can't breathe underwater, so Mom gives him a gentle nudge towards the surface to take their first breath together. There's almost nothing to eat here for humpbacks, so he'll have to learn to live life on the move fast.