Humpback Whales Show Strange “Gaping” Behavior — and Social Media Helped Us Understand It

There are few things more exciting than seeing one of Earth’s majestic creatures in their own habitat and posting it on social media for all to enjoy. Some animals are easier to find than others, with humpback whales being among the most observed marine mammals globally thanks to their rapid recovery after recent conservation efforts. But even though these whales may be frequently seen, they can still surprise scientists with their behavior.

A new study, published in Animal Behavior Cognition, used years of social media footage to uncover a curious and little-understood behavior in humpback whales known as “gaping,” where whales open their mouths wide outside of feeding. These findings not only add new understanding to whale behavior, but also highlight how everyday people are playing a role in marine science.

“Humpback whale behavior has been documented and discussed widely via social media, pointing to the potential use of whale tourism and citizen science to document unusual or rarely seen whale behavior that may be difficult to quantify in a more formal scientific manner,” the authors wrote in their study.

What Is Whale Gaping?

When most people picture a whale opening its mouth, they’re usually thinking of something like that famous scene from Pinocchio — a dramatic lunge that captures dinner and whatever else may be floating around. But gaping is something different.

The researchers defined gaping as a whale opening its mouth widely without feeding, often in areas where food isn’t present. It’s a behavior defined by form rather than function, and scientists are still trying to work out why whales do it.

The study outlines several possible explanations for this behavior. In some cases, gaping could be a form of communication, especially when paired with behaviors described as “jaw popping,” “clapping,” or “lip smacking.” In others, it may simply be physical maintenance, like stretching jaw muscles after long periods without feeding. Young whales, in particular, may gape to adjust their anatomy during or after nursing.

Gaping might also not even be intentional. As the research team notes, some instances may occur during energetic surface movements, where gravity or motion causes the jaw to fall open.

“In some examples, gaping might not be deliberate, but simply a consequence of the whale performing a vigorous surface-active behavior such as a chin slap or a head lunge,” wrote the study’s authors. “This may result in the mouth opening due to reverberation and/or gravity, rather than as a deliberate behavior.”

Read More: A Sperm Whale Is Born — Rare Footage Reveals Social Care During the “Most Vulnerable Moments of Life”

What Scientists Observed From Social Media Footage

Instead of relying solely on traditional fieldwork, researchers in this study turned to an unexpected source: the internet.

By analyzing 66 videos and photos shared online between 2014 and 2025, the team compiled one of the most comprehensive records of humpback whale gaping behavior. The footage came from whale-watching tours, recreational boaters, and divers, captured across breeding grounds and migration routes.

Across these images and videos, whales of all ages displayed gaping, but it was most often observed in social contexts, suggesting it may play a role in whale interaction or signaling.

Why Citizen Science Is Changing Marine Research

This study is an example of citizen science in action. Tourists, wildlife enthusiasts, and casual observers — armed with smartphones and drones — are capturing moments that researchers might never witness firsthand.

“For verifiable observations, digital media broadcast through social media can provide a record of rare behavior using a much larger platform than would otherwise be available from dedicated scientific studies. Scientists, governments, conservationists, and other stakeholders can use social media to help document humpback whale behavior efficiently through space and time,” concluded the research team in their study.

Overall, social media platforms can now act as vast, real-time databases, allowing scientists to track rare behaviors across oceans and over time. The sheer volume of footage offers insights that traditional studies — often limited by time, funding, and geography — can’t match.

In the case of whale gaping, it’s a reminder that even the most familiar animals still hold some secrets, and the key to unlocking them might be in your camera roll.

Article Sources

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