First footage of humpback whale nursing captured

Researchers have captured what is believed to be the first-ever footage of a humpback whale mother nursing her calf.

The footage was taken in September 2025 by Griffith University PhD student Stephanie Stack while conducting whale surveys on the eastern coast of Australia.

Almost a year before the footage was captured, the researchers attached a camera-equipped suction tag to the whale mother in Moreton Bay.

Researchers say the footage provides important evidence that Moreton Bay in South East Queensland is a key nursery and rest area for humpback whales.

"To our knowledge, this is the first documented use of camera-equipped suction cup tags on humpback whale calves in Australia, and one of few datasets globally that combines video, fine scale movement, and acoustic data for humpback w