Whales have long been a source of fascination to humans, perhaps because of their incredible size, or their exceptional intelligence.
Most whales are very social animals and they are also naturally very curious.
This is the time when they are exploring and learning about their environment.
It is reasonable to conclude that after they approach a boat full of whale-watchers.
The rubbing and petting by humans further reinforces the whales' approach behavior, for the calves as well as for the adults
Whales in general are very tactile, They love to rub and touch.
The whales seem to understand people, and are eager to cooperate and create bonds.
Whales are excellent communicators, and they show high levels of emotional and social intelligence.
They also have very large brains, actually some of the largest.