So there's no need to panic next time you're swimming in the ocean, especially because whales are not aggressive toward humans. Instead, Deaville says, it's whales that should be more fearful of us because of the “wide variety of man-made pressures and threats out there.”

Are humpback whales friendly to humans?

Humpback whales are by nature mostly gentle and non-aggressive animals, so it is very unlikely for them to do any harm to a human. ... This is however extremely rare as humpbacks tend to be aware of their surroundings and avoid direct contact with boats and swimming humans.

Are humpback whales aggressive?

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) wintering in Hawaiian waters engage in strenuous aggression toward con- specifics. The social context and sex of individuals involved suggest that aggression is the result of male-male competition for sexually mature females, including cows with newborn calves.