Forrest was joined by members of ORRCA’s team, who continued to monitor the mother and calf over several hours, “collecting observations during the critical first hours of the calf’s life,” the organization said on social media.

The footage is believed to be only the fourth complete humpback whale birth ever recorded on film anywhere in the world and the first-ever captured by drone.

“Every observation like this has the potential to expand our understanding of humpback whale reproduction, maternal behaviour and the earliest stages of a calf’s life,” ORRCA said.