The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. One of the larger rorqual species, adults range in length from 12-16 metres (39-52 ft) and weigh approximately 36,000 kilograms (79,000 lb). The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is an acrobatic animal, often breaching and slapping the water. Found in oceans and seas around the world, humpback whales typically migrate up to 25,000 kilometres each year. Humpbacks feed only in summer, in polar waters, and migrate to tropical or sub-tropical waters to breed and give birth in the winter. During the winter, humpbacks fast and live off their fat reserves. The species' diet consists mostly of krill and small fish. Humpbacks have a diverse repertoire of feeding methods, including the bubble net feeding technique.
Ten Facts about Humpback Whale
- Males produce a complex whale song, which lasts for 10 to 20 minutes and is repeated for hours at a time. The purpose of the song is not yet clear, although it appears to have a role in mating.
- Humpback whales can easily be identified by their stocky bodies with obvious humps and black dorsal coloring. The head and lower jaw are covered with knobs called tubercles, which are actually hair follicles and are characteristic of the species.
- Humpbacks have 270 to 400 darkly coloured baleen plates on each side of the mouth. The plates measure from a mere 18 inches (46 cm) in the front to approximately 3 feet (0.91 m) long in the back, behind the hinge.
- Whale lifespan estimates range from 30-40 year to 70-80 years.
- Fully grown, the males average 15-16 metres (49-52 ft). Females are slightly larger at 16-17 metres (52-56 ft), and 40,000 kilograms (44 short tons).
- Females typically breed every two or three years.
- The gestation period is 11.5 months, yet some individuals have been known to breed in two consecutive years.
- There is usually a 1-2 year period between humpback births.
- The humpback is an energetic hunter, taking krill and small schooling fish, such as herring (Clupea harengus), salmon (Salmo salar), capelin (Mallotus villosus) and sand lance (Ammodytes americanus) as well as mackerel (Scomber scombrus).
- Given scarring records, killer whales are thought to prey upon juvenile humpbacks, though this has never been witnessed.
