Overview
- Australian marine photographer Jono Allen captured the winning image and received the $1,000 top prize, also taking gold in the Underwater category.
- The calf, named Mãhina, was first spotted in 2024 off Vava'u, Tonga, and its name means “moon” in Tongan.
- Albinism in humpback whales is exceptionally rare, with reports estimating roughly one in 40,000 births.
- The seventh WNPA drew entries from 51 countries, with other category winners including a gorilla observing a butterfly and a polar bear investigating e-waste.
- Humpbacks are listed as least concern with populations near 135,000 in 2018, yet scientists report earlier southern migrations tied to a warming Southern Ocean.