Stunning drone footage shows a humpback whale mother and her calf breaching off the coast of Costa Rica.

The incredible clip was filmed near Punta Dominical back in September.

“I was flying my drone, capturing the landscape when I noticed two whales. It was a mother and its calf. They were both very playful as they would breach quite often. it was hard to follow them though, as the water clarity wasn't great, ” said filmer David Diez.

Exactly why whales leap from the water isn't known although there are several theories which may explain the behaviour, including removing parasites from their bodies and stunning their prey.

Scientists also don't rule out the idea that breaching is just a form of play.