Near the sunlit surface, a female humpback whale twists and rolls in an energetic display of play and possible courtship. In the background, a male lingers—part of the competitive mating dynamic where strength and endurance matter. These interactions, often accompanied by haunting songs, reveal the complexity of humpback social behavior during breeding season in warm tropical waters. This image of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) was taken 2025 in Rurutu, French Polynesia.