Although marine biologists have paid recent attention to the endangered species of whales, they have not conducted enough research to know exactly why whales breach. Breaching occurs when a whale, flips itself entirely out of the water, twists in midair, and lands loudly on its side. Tourists may think the mammals breach just to create photogenic moments, but it probably has more to do with communication adding to the sonar noises made by whales. The smack can probably be heard by other whales for a very long distance.