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Humpback Whales
Latin Name: Megaptera novaeanglia
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Size & Description
Humpbacks are huge marine mammals that reach up to 48-62.5ft (14.6-19m) in length and can weigh up to 40 tonnes.
In general, they are very distinctly coloured with a black body and white belly. One of their most distinctive features is the small hump on their back where a small dorsal fin is located.
One of the main ways in which an individual humpback whale is identified is by the underside of their tail (fluke), which is like a fingerprint. This tends to be exposed when the whale is about to go down for a deep/long dive.
*Researchers can spend hours and hours trying to get an adequate ID photo to recognise which individual whale is which.*
Diet
The diet of these massive animals includes plankton, krill and small fish, like herring.
Cool Facts
These animals have so many cool facts. We wish we could have included them all, but, if you do have any questions about them, please feel free to send us an email.
· Migration – During the winter period, these animals will embark on a long migration towards the equator to their respective breeding and birthing grounds, during which time they do not eat.
· Song – Their song is the most complexly structured song in the animal kingdom! It can go on for hours and hours. One report even stated that one male sang for 36 hours straight, took a short break then re-sang the exact same song again! The song is only sung by the males, and they only sing while migrating to their breeding grounds and while at their breeding grounds.
This song is thought to be the way a male will attract a potential mate. Also, it is believed that, by the time the humpbacks get to their breeding grounds, all the males will be singing almost exactly the same song as each other.
Threats & Conservation
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Humpback whales are currently listed as Endangered on the ICUN red list. Early threats included hunting, as these animals are slow moving, which made them easy targets. They have been listed as protected since 1966 from the International Whaling Committee (IWC). The global population is at roughly 35,000 - 40,000, which is around 30-35% of the original population. The population is growing and recovering quite well, and it has been reported that some populations in the Southern Hemisphere are actually doubling in size every 7 years! |
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