Key Facts about Humpback Whales

About Humpback Whales:

• They are one of the larger species of whales.
• Scientific Name: Megaptera novaeangliae
• The humpback whale was given its name because of the shape of the hump on its dorsal fin and the distinctive look of its back when diving.
• Distribution:
  • They live in all oceans around the world.
  • They travel great distances every year and have one of the longest migrations of any mammal on the planet. 
  • They undertake long migrations between polar feeding grounds in summer and tropical or subtropical breeding grounds in winter. 
• Features:
  • Humpbacks usually range from 12 to 16 metres in length and weigh approximately 36 metric tons.
  • They are mainly black or grey with white undersides to their flukes, flippers, and bellies.
  • Its scientific name, Megaptera, means, "large-winged," referring to its long, white, wing-like flippers that are often as long as one-third of the animal's total body length.
  • Humpbacks also have large knobs on the head, jaws, and body, each knob being associated with one or two hairs. 
  • They often feed in large groups and are famous for their singing ability. Male humpback whales create and sing songs that can be heard up to 20 miles away.
  • Humpbacks use a unique method of feeding called bubble netting, in which bubbles are exhaled as the whale swims in a spiral below a patch of water dense with food.
    • The curtain of bubbles confines the prey to a small area in the middle of which one or more whale’s surface.
  • Lifespan: They can live for 80 to 90 years.
• Conservation Status:
• • IUCN Red List: Least Concern