Huge Whale Pins Diver, Then Reveals Why

Whales are huge, and yet they remain among the most mysterious animals on Earth. Their massive bodies and usually calm behavior captivate us, but there is still so much about their lives we do not understand. A recent, tense encounter off the shores of the Cook Islands shows just how little we know, and raised questions across the scientific community.

Meet Nan Hauser, Veteran Whale Researcher

Nan Hauser, 63, has spent decades studying and protecting whales. Born in Maine, she has worked around the world for more than 30 years, documenting these animals and pushing for their protection. Swimming with whales is part of her job, something she has done hundreds if not thousands of times. Still, nothing prepared her for this particular swim near Rarotonga.

Unexpected Close Call In Rarotonga Waters

It was late summer, and Nan was filming a small pod of humpbacks while her team tracked her from a research vessel and a drone. A large male, at least 50 feet long, began swimming straight toward her. He rammed into her and pinned her to his head, forcing her away from the boat. The situation was confusing and terrifying, because whales almost never behave like this around humans.

Shark Threat and Whale Defense Revealed

As the male kept pushing her, Nan noticed another humpback acting strangely, slapping its tail and lashing out behind it. Farther off, a tiger shark more than 15 feet long was circling. Suddenly the pieces fell into place: the whales were not attacking her, they were trying to shield her from the predator. Nan managed a desperate sprint to the boat and climbed aboard as the whale watched, blew water once, and slipped away.

Footage, Debate, and a Second Gentle Encounter

Nan reviewed drone, deck and diver footage and concluded the whale had acted altruistically to protect her. Some scientists disagree, saying motives are hard to prove, and noting animals can protect others for many reasons. Studies have recorded humpbacks saving calves and other species, and Robert Pitman has argued protective instincts can explain some rescues. Days later a female humpback swam under Nan, spread her pectoral fins as if hugging her on Nan's birthday, a moment she says sealed the experience as unforgettable.

Battle for Her Life

As Nan tried to get away, the whale continued to ram into her, pushing her farther and farther away from the boat. Nan attempted to go to one side, and then the other, but the whale was simply unwilling to let up. She was helpless. Despite her years upon years of work with whales, not once had she ever heard of anything even remotely similar to this, much less experienced this type of behavior herself - not that she could give it much thought. The whale was apparently unaware of his own strength, and even if he wasn't attempted to hurt Nan directly, the force of its movements was enough to cause serious injury.

The Strength of a Whale

Nan is an expert on whales. As the whale continued to push her through the water, she realized just what kind of an effect a wrong movement or an exceptionally strong push could have on her body. A moderate hit from a humpback whale had the potential to break bones and damage her internal organs… and that was merely if the whale continued his current behavior. But there was another thing the whale could do that Nan was especially fearful of.

Stay Away From the Sides

While Nan was currently being pushed by the whale's head, she knew that one wrong movement could put her in range of other, much more dangerous and muscular appendages; his flippers and tail. Humpbacks aren't known for aggressive behavior, but they are, nevertheless, extremely powerful animals - and even one wrong move, one unintended hit by a flipper or tail, could knock Nan unconscious, and leave her to drown. But while Nan realized just how serious the situation she was in was, there was hope. She was starting to formulate a plan.

Keeping Her Cool

Staying close to the whale's head was probably the safest area she could be in, considering humpback whales don't have teeth, but rather, sheets of soft baleen in their mouth. Still, Nan knew she had to distance herself from the whale as much as possible, as quickly as possible. To do that, Nan had to stay as calm and collected as she possibly could. If the whale sensed any change in her behavior, though, he might change his - which was something she wasn't willing to risk.

A Horrifying Experience

Everybody who knows Nan, knows she's afraid of spiders. She likes to joke that while she is terrified of a small, delicate animal she can sweep away with her hand, she's not afraid to swim with huge, powerful sea creatures which could easily crush her if they were so inclined. Still, at this point in time, pinned on the head of an erratic humpback whale, Nan was horrified. Everything she knew about whale behavior told her what she was experiencing shouldn't be happening - but was she alone in her experience… or could her friends on the boat tell that something was wrong?

Documenting

Despite the extreme situation she had found herself in, Nan decided to continue to document and photograph the whale while she tried to escape. As her camera continued to record the events, Nan grew sick with the thought that she might very well be documenting her own death. Back on the research vessel, Nan's friends and crew were following the worrying event with the help of their drone. They could tell something was wrong, but were unable help. All they could do was watch - and pray.

Innocent Bystander

Nan wasn't the only person in the water when the whale decided to start pushing her away. Her diving buddy, however, wasn't nearly as experienced as she was, and didn't share the same understanding of cetacean behavior. They didn't realize something was wrong, and Nan, who was trying to keep her movements calm, couldn't communicate that she needed assistance. But even if she had been able to, the second diver wouldn't have been able to help. Nan was alone.

No Signs of Slowing Down

Nan's whale aggressor continued to push her farther and farther away. A distance was forming between her and her research vessel, and soon, Nan would find herself out in the open ocean. It's difficult to explain just how unusual this type of behavior is. Usually, when working with whales, Nan wouldn't even think of touching them - but this whale wasn't just brushing up against her - he was maintaining contact and deliberately moving her away from her boat. And to make matters worse - after a while, it seemed like they had company. Another huge aquatic animal began to appear from the depths.

A Second Whale

Off in the distance, Nan could tell that another humpback had joined them. Humpback whales are social animals, so seeing another of the huge beasts nearby wasn't a big surprise - but while this whale was keeping its distance, its behavior, much like the whale that was pushing Nan, was very unusual. Nan could tell its behavior was erratic as well - but she simply couldn't understand why.

Lashing Out

Despite the precarious situation she was in, Nan couldn't help but wonder at the second whale's odd behavior. It kept slapping the surface of the water with its tail, and, every once in a while, would lash out at something behind it. Despite her years of experience with aquatic life, Nan couldn't understand what was happening. One whale was pushing her out to sea, while the other was acting in an agitated manner. What was going on?

Bumped and Bruised

Nan was getting pretty bruised from the whole ordeal. The whale had been pushing her along for more than ten minutes, and the rough barnacles on its skin were scraping her body whenever the whale touched her. It wasn't clear what the whale's intentions were, but whether it meant to cause her harm or not, she was definitely taking a beating. But finally, something changed. Looking at the second humpback whale's behavior, it finally began to dawn on Nan what was happening.

Not Letting Her Go

Over the last quarter of an hour, the whale had kept Nan close to him in any way he could. Suddenly, Nan realized what his reasoning was. She could see what was making the whale act in this strange manner, and understood that she was in a truly life-threatening situation. If she wanted to live, she had to get away as quickly as she could. But the humpback whale was not keen on letting her get away.

Predatory Waters

Off in the distance, near the second whale, Nan could finally see what was making it lash out with its tail; a tiger shark. Known as the man-eating shark, tiger sharks are dangerous, brutal predators - and this one was much larger than average, coming in at more than 15 feet in length. Nan suddenly realized that the whales weren't attacking her - they were attempting to protect her from the dangerous predator. But understand the whales' behavior did not guarantee her safety. Nan's life was still in danger.

Tiger Sharks

When people think of shark attacks, the first image that usually comes to mind is that of the great white - like the shark from Jaws. But despite being larger and stronger than tiger sharks, attacks by great whites are rare - and more manageable. While great whites usually take one big bite out of their prey and leave, tiger sharks are known for continuously attacking their victims. And Nan and her dive buddy were now well within reach of an especially large tiger shark. Knowing what the humpback whale was trying to keep her safe from, Nan pushed as hard as she could away from the whale, and made a frantic dash to the boat.

Safely Onboard

Thankfully, Nan and her dive buddy managed to break away from the whales and reach their boat at the very last minute. As Nan pulled herself on board, between gasps for air she let the crew know that a big tiger shark was prowling the waters around them. But as her pulse calmed down, Nan was far from afraid. In fact, she was exhilarated. Understanding what happened, she realized the whales were trying to save her, not harm her. And as if in response, Nan could see something extraordinary in the water.

Making Sure She's Fine

As Nan stumbled to her feet, she walked to the ship's railing. There, waiting patiently, was the male humpback whale that had tried to save her from the shark. It seemed like it was concerned, waiting to make sure Nan was alright, before it returned to sea. When it saw Nan was safe and sound, it let out a single burst of water from its blowhole, and submerged once more under the waves. Nan felt like the whale truly was trying to keep her safe, and settled down on the boat's stern to watch her oceanic friend swim off in the distance. Then, like a true scientist, she started to piece the experience together.

Nan's Theory

As Nan reviewed the footage from her and her diving buddy's underwater cameras, from the drone and from the deck, Nan became convinced she understood the reasoning behind the whale's strange, uncharacteristic behavior. Nan theorized that the whale had kept her close to him in order to protect her from the nearby shark. This made sense, considering what she knew about humpback whale behavior - but it was the first time she had ever heard of, let alone experienced, whales acting in this way with humans.

Heroes of the Seas

Humpback whales are still a mysterious, little understood species - but they are pretty well documented. Considering the huge body of knowledge that had been compiled on humpbacks, Nan could contextualize her experience. In 2016, a study compiled over 115 documented cases, stretching back for over 60 years, of humpback whales actively working to rescue their own calves - but also members of other species, including dolphins and seals. Still, Nan's case was unique.

Unheard Of

Researchers are quite familiar with humpbacks helping other animals in dangerous situations. The marine ecologist Robert Pitman, for instance, had once witnessed a humpback flinging a seal out of the water in order to save it from a pod of killer whales. But Nan's case was special. While whales have been known to help other species, this would be the first reported case of them helping out a human being. But while Nan was sure this was what had happened, some members of the scientific community were critical of her theory.

Making Waves in the Scientific Community

As Nan's story began to circulate, the scientific community was divided. Some believed Nan's theory was the true explanation for the whale's behavior, while others said it was impossible to tell what the humpback's intentions truly were. Some believed the whale could have been acting in this manner for different reasons, and that the shark's presence in the water could have been unrelated. Still, Nan remained convinced.

Letting the Footage Speak For Itself

Nan's entire experience had been caught on camera - from multiple angles. There was drone footage, the accompanying diver's camera work, angles caught from the boat, and Nan's own documentation, on her own personal camera. Nan believed that in light of this wealth of evidence, it was impossible to refute her theory. In fact, Nan believes this type of behavior fits in to a broader phenomenon that's been widely researched in the field of animal ecology.

Animal Altruism

While it may be tempting to call the humpback whale that had saved Nan "compassionate" or "empathetic," Nan is careful in her choice of words. Rather than describe the whale's behavior using human terms, she's careful to refer to it as merely "altruistic." There's a difference between compassion and altruism - and while compassion is a human emotional on which it is possible to debate whether it appears on other, non-human species, altruism has been well documented in countless species, and has several socio-biological explanations.

Instinct and Emotion

The marine ecologist Robert Pitmas has explained that there are several factors that differentiate between compassionate and altruistic behaviors. When humans protect an animal from danger, it is often done out of compassion - but altruistic behavior by other animals can have other explanations. It's possible the humpback had sought to protect Nan due to compassion, but it's more likely its actions were a result of a drive to protect its offspring, of which Nan had reminded him, from harm. But it's difficult to pin everything on instinct, as we shall soon see.

Another Unusual Encounter

Four days after the harrowing experience she had undergone with the male humpback whale, Nan was once again diving off the shores of Rarotonga. It was just like any other day, when suddenly, she saw a humpback approaching - this time, a female. Filled with awe and respect, Nan turned to the female whale, curious to see what would happen next.

A Whale of a Hug

The female humpback whale swam 4 feet under Nan, and then did something Nan had never seen before. She spread her pectoral fins around her, as if hugging her! It just so happened that that day was Nan's birthday - and she couldn't have asked for a better gift. Twice within the space of 5 days, the whales that she had dedicated her life to save had shown her love and care, like no one had ever seen before. Nan Hauser's story remains baffling and strange - but it's impossible to deny just how moving it is.

The South Pacific

In 2017, Nan Hauser was working in the South Pacific. She had set up her home base in the largest of the Cook Islands, Rarotonga. The Cook Islands are one of Nan's biggest success stories, as she had, over the years managed to petition and turn all 772,000 square miles of the island nation's territorial waters into a whale sanctuary. She had also set up the Center for Ceacean Research and Conservation on Rarotonga, and in 2001, the Cook Islands declared their whale sanctuary would extend 200 nautical miles in each direction from their shores. This is a huge stretch of ocean, and if whales could thank just one person for this safe haven, Nan would be that person. In 2017, one whale would find a way to do just that.

A Surprise Reunion at Sea

One year and 15 days after the rescue, Nan found herself face to face with the same humpback. She recognized the whale by two notches on its tail fluke and watched it approach the research vessel as if seeking her out. The animal stared directly at Nan while ignoring others on board, then allowed her to swim with it again. For her, the meeting felt like confirmation that the first encounter was no accident.

Cameras Keep the Story Honest

Footage of the September swim exists from multiple angles, and that helped the story spread fast. Drone clips, deck video, and the divers' cameras captured the whale nudging Nan and the other humpback fending off a predator. Scientists split over what the footage proves, with some calling the behavior ambiguous and others seeing clear intent. The recordings, whatever you make of them, put the debate on firm ground.

Whales May Be Trying to Talk

Newer research has pushed the conversation beyond protection alone. Between 2019 and 2023, teams recorded 39 instances across 12 episodes where humpbacks produced bubble rings or other gestures during friendly interactions with boats and swimmers. Researchers suggest those actions may be intentional, a kind of invitation or signal rather than random noise. That line of work makes Nan's experience less extraordinary and more a clue to a wider behavior.

Nan Keeps Her Focus

The encounter did not slow Nan down. She is pursuing a doctorate in whale biology, rebuilding the Cook Islands Whale and Wildlife Center after vandalism, and writing a book about her experiences. For someone whose life is wrapped up in these animals, the work continues on multiple fronts. The rescue, reunion, and the footage all feed directly into that work.

Why This Still Matters

If humpbacks really do intervene for humans, it forces a rethink of how we categorize animal behavior. Are these acts instinct, recognition, or something like altruism? The questions matter because they change how we study, protect, and interact with whales. Whatever the answer, the episode underlines that we still have a lot to learn.