Of course, we here on Maui cherish our humpback whales and look forward to their annual migration. They are majestic creature and display behaviors that even naturalists struggle to explain. Could this be part of the reason?

Humpback whales have a type of brain cell seen only in humans, the great apes, and other cetaceans such as dolphins, U.S. researchers reported on Monday. This might mean such whales are more intelligent than they have been given credit for… The finding may help explain some of the behaviors seen in whales, such as intricate communication skills, the formation of alliances, cooperation, cultural transmission and tool usage, the researchers report in The Anatomical Record.