Whale, whale, whale, what do we have here?
Three humpbacks off the coast of Massachusetts. Photo by the author.
These humpback whales are the coolest (and among the biggest) creatures on Earth.
Normally, these majestic beasts spend their time hanging out in the ocean, scraping barnacles off their chins, occasionally coming up for air, and eating fish using their magical water cyclone-making powers.
Lately though, there's something a little more celebratory on the incredibly advanced minds of these humpback whales.
As of September 2016, most populations of humpback whales are no longer officially listed as "endangered."
"SWEET!" Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.
That's great news out of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Not just for we humans who enjoy cheering for the big lugs on whale-watching tours, but also for the whales themselves.
Humpback whales all over the world are — to put it lightly — f**king STOKED about not being endangered anymore.
1. Like this one, who is jumping for joy at the news that NOAA conservation efforts helped ensure it will live a long life.
WOOOOOOOOOO! Photo by Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images.
2. Or these whales, who are blowing a huge sigh of relief knowing they can safely continue eating up to 4,000 pounds of food a day.
"Pfffffffff. Glad that's over. Anyway, have you finished 'Stranger Things'?" Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.
3. And this whale who is ... honestly, just showing off, which is a thing whales have been known to do.
"Yeah we get it, Dave. You can backflip." Photo by Eitan Abramovich/AFP/Getty Images.
4. Or this whale, who is requesting the highest of fives for all the hard work from conservationists.
Up top, boys! Photo by Patrick Hamilton/AFP/Getty Images.
5. And this whale who is a little shy but still totally thrilled to hear that scientists will still keep an eye on whale populations to make sure their numbers don't slip.
"Get these paparazzi OUT OF HERE!" Photo by Cris Bouroncle/AFP/Getty Images.
6. And this whale who is, OK this whale is fake, but it's excited too — even though it knows there's still more work to be done, as four humpback populations still remain endangered, including two that can be found in U.S. waters.
"Oh yeah, I love opera! Totally! I mean, who doesn't, right?" Photo by Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images.
7. And finally, this humpback, who is smiling because she knows how much safer the world is for her calf and her.
"I can show you the world... Since we're no longer endaaaaangered." Photo by NOAA/Flickr.
While this is fantastic news, it doesn't mean the work ends.
Whales are a vitally important part of marine ecosystems all over the world and play a key role in the health of our planet.
They've captured people's imaginations for generations, and in order for them to keep doing that, we need to keep caring about them and keep protecting them.