Few animals inspire such wonder as the great whales, and the humpback whale can stake a fair claim to being the most beloved of all. Known for its spectacular breaching displays, ingenious feeding methods and its haunting song, the humpback is today a staple of the whale-watching industry in many countries. Yet for centuries humpback whales enjoyed no such relationship with humans, and were instead the focus of a relentless commercial hunt that almost rendered them extinct.
Here is a comprehensive and passionate account of one of the world's most fascinating animals, told by a biologist who has spent much of his life in their company, and sensitively portrayed by a photographer who has followed these magnificent animals around the earth's oceans.