Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humback whale (Megaptera noveangliae)
Length	15 m
Weight	40 t
Blow	3 m
Breathing	5 - 15 min
Depth	?
Diet	krill, small fish
Life span	at least 50 years
Status	least concern

Main Characteristics

Humpback Whales have a large and rather robust body that is black above and black-and-white or mottled below. The characteristic features are the long flippers, measuring ^_1/3 of the body length, and the fluke black above but with a distinctive colour pattern on the underside. The pattern is unique to each individual and is used for identification. The dorsal fin is located about 2/3 of the animals length from the nose and varies in shape and size, often times rather small. The dorsal fin sits on a hump on the back, the species get their name from this characteristic. Head and flippers are covered with barnacles, which will attach soon after birth and remain during the animal's lifetime.

Behaviour

Humpback Whales live solitary or in small unstable groups. They always lift the fluke before a dive and revealing its shape and colouration. During mating season, the bulls produce a high variety of songs that can last for hours to attract the females. Their sounds, that have been compared to bird-song, vary from one area of the ocean to another. Humpback Whales are known for water-surface acrobatics, such as breaching, lob-tailing, spy hopping and flipper-slapping.

Migration and Foraging

Even though Humpback Whales live solitarily they will occasionally engage in a cooperative hunt. Several individuals work together to encircle fish flocks while producing air bubbles that will trap the fish. This foraging strategy is also known as "bubble-netting". The migratory routes and whereabouts during the winter months are well known. Traveling about 6.000km one way, this is one of the longest journeys known of any mammal.

Whaling and Population Size

Humpback Whales were extensively hunted in the 20th century, they have been protected worldwide since 1966 resulting in a slow recovery of the population. The population is estimated to be about 70.000 - 100.000 individuals worldwide.

To learn more about Humpback Whales visit Wikipedia or the American Cetacean Society.