Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) have unique songs and long hiking trails, you are Baleen whales and are around 15 meters long and weigh up to 30 tons.
Especially in the breeding area, one can observe how they catapult their massive bodies out of the sea. acrobatic jump makes them a favorite among whale watchers.
The humpback whale makes a hump when divingThis has given it its common name. The Latin name Megaptera novaeangliae refers to the big pinball machine.
Humpback Whale during Whale Watching in Iceland with North Sailing Husavik Iceland – Humpback Whale Profile
In this article you will find exciting information about humpback whales. For those who don't like reading, the most important facts are clearly presented in the Humpback Whale Wanted Poster You can also go directly to the fascinating Gallery .
Animal records: Why are humpback whales so special?
Humpback whales have the longest pectoral fins in the animal kingdom!
The pectoral fins of humpback whales have a considerable length of up to 5 meters. The Latin name of the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) means "the one with the big wings from New England". He alludes to the unusually large pinball machines of the whale species.
Humpback whales have an extraordinary song!
The song of male humpback whales is one of the richest and loudest voices in the animal kingdom. A study in Australia recorded 622 sounds. At 190 decibels, the song can be heard for about 20 km. Each whale has its own song with different verses that change throughout its life. Typically, the animals sing for about 20 minutes. However, the longest recorded song, by a humpback whale, is said to have lasted almost 24 hours.
How far can humpback whales swim?
A female humpback whale has long held the record for the longest distance a mammal has traveled to date. Spotted in Brazil in 1999, the same animal was discovered off Madagascar in 2001. The journey involved covered a distance of almost 10.000 km, almost a quarter of a circumnavigation of the globe. The breeding grounds of this whale species are in tropical and subtropical waters, while their feeding grounds are in polar waters. Humpback whales therefore regularly cover several thousand kilometers during their migration. However, the normal journey, at around 5.000 km, is only half the record distance. However, a female gray whale has now broken the humpback whale record.
One hunting technique used by the humpback whale is "bubble-net feeding". He circles below a school of fish and lets air rise. The fish are caught in a network of air bubbles. Then the whale rises vertically and swims with its mouth open in the school. In large schools, several whales synchronize their hunting.
gray-black with a light underside, very long flipper, inconspicuous fin, blows approx. 3 meters high, makes a hump when diving and lifts the caudal fin, individual patterns on the underside of its caudal fin
Height Weight
approx. 15 meters (12-18m) / up to 30 tons
Reproduction
Sexual maturity at 5 years / gestation period 12 months / litter size 1 young animal / mammal
Life expectancy
about 50 years
Living Space
Ocean, likes to be near the coast
Way of life
alone or in small groups, techniques of common hunting known, seasonal migration, feeding in summer quarters, reproduction in winter quarters
Nutrition
Plankton, krill, small fish / food intake only in summer quarters
distribution area
in all oceans; Summer in polar waters; Winter in subtropical and tropical waters
Population size
approx. 84.000 sexually mature animals worldwide (Red List 2021)
Protection status
Before whaling was banned in 1966 only a few thousand, since then population recovery, Red List 2021: low concern, population increasing
The humpback whale: exciting facts about fascinating animals
Habitat and Migration of Humpback Whales
They are found in all oceans worldwide, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Their occurrence is seasonal and is determined by whale migration routes and the recurring cycle of feeding and reproduction.
feeding areasFrom around May to October, humpback whales prefer to stay in the polar regions, such as the Antarctic and the Arctic, as these waters offer plenty of food. The North Atlantic regions are also known to be good feeding grounds.
breeding areas: From November to April, humpback whales migrate to tropical waters such as the Caribbean, Mexico and Australia to mate and give birth to their young. There they find safe breeding grounds because the water temperatures are pleasantly warm and there are no predators such as orcas.
Migration: Humpback whales are known to undertake long migrations of up to 5000 to 7000 kilometers between their summer and winter habitats, one of the longest migrations of any marine mammal.
Humpback whales mate in the warm tropical and subtropical waters that are considered safe from November to April. breeding grounds The birth and rearing of the young is a central element in the life cycle of the majestic marine mammals.
competitive behavior: Males often fight for the favor of a female by intimidating each other with fin thrusts, tail thumps, and jumps.
humpback whale song: During mating season, male humpback whales can be heard singing impressive songs. These complex and long-lasting songs are probably used to attract females or to ward off other males.
Pairing: Mating takes place in open water without fixed partnerships. Females can mate with different males depending on the breeding season. The sexual act lasts only a few minutes.
Birth: After a gestation period of 11 to 12 months, birth occurs in open water. The calf is usually born tail first to ensure that it does not drown during the process. Immediately after birth, the mother helps the calf to reach the water surface so that it can take its first breath.
reproductive cycle: Female humpback whales can only give birth to a calf every two to three years because raising the offspring is very time-consuming and energy-intensive.
A baby humpback whale is called a calf and has a very close bond with its mother. Humpback whales are marine mammals and therefore nurse their babies with their mother's milk. Females give birth to a single calf per reproductive cycle. Twin births are extremely rare.
Size: A newborn humpback whale calf is about 4 to 5 meters long and weighs between 700 and 900 kilograms.
Mother-Child Bond: The calf is suckled by the mother for 6 to 12 months, during which the calf gradually begins to eat small fish or krill on its own. The humpback whale's milk is extremely rich in fat (up to 40% fat content), which enables the calf to grow quickly. It gains about 45 kilograms per day.
Migration: At around one year of age, the young animal has enough strength and size to begin the journey to the polar regions, where it can search for food on its own. Calf and mother still make the strenuous journey from the tropical breeding grounds to the polar feeding grounds together.
Danger: The calf is particularly vulnerable to attacks by predators such as orcas in its first months of life and can also be threatened by environmental changes, ship collisions or marine pollution.
Humpback whales are Baleen whales, which means they have no teeth. Instead, they have baleen plates in their upper jaw that allow them to filter through small marine animals such as krill, fish, and other planktonic organisms. Their diet is particularly effective when it comes to consuming large quantities of food.
lining: Humpback whales feed on krill, small fish and other planktonic organisms. The waters around Antarctica and the North Atlantic regions are particularly known as good sources of food.
Eating behavior: The diet of humpback whales is seasonal and varies depending on their habitat and the availability of food. While in cold waters, humpback whales eat large amounts, while in warm waters they fast while reproducing.
Fishing methods: Humpback whales are also known for their elaborate hunting techniques, particularly the so-called "bubble netting" method. This involves the whale diving into the school of prey and blowing bubbles to surround the fish and catch them in a tight circle. Then the whale rises vertically and swims into the school with its mouth open. This technique not only shows the animals' intelligence, but also their ability to work together when hunting in groups.
feed requirements: An adult humpback whale can consume up to 1.500 kilograms of food per day to meet its energy needs and build up enough fat reserves for its long migrations and reproduction.
Population and Protection Status of Humpback Whales
According to the IUCN Red List, the humpback whale is currently classified as "Least Concern". After commercial whaling was banned in 1985, the population has recovered in many places. However, the status varies regionally and some populations remain endangered.
Duration: The global population of humpback whales is currently estimated at around 135.000 to 150.000 animals. However, some regional subpopulations (e.g. in the Arabian Sea) are still considered critically endangered and are very small.
Threat: Collisions with ships, plastic waste, chemical pollutants, death as bycatch in fishing nets; In addition, changes in sea temperatures could affect krill abundance and thus the whales' diet.
Whale watching: Experience humpback whales in the wild
When whale watching, the first thing you'll see is the characteristic blow, which can be up to 3 meters high. This is followed by the back, with a small, inconspicuous fin. When diving, the whale arches its back and almost always lifts its tail fin out of the water to gain momentum. Humpback whales are known for their leaping. With a little luck, you might even see these giants leaping, especially in their breeding grounds.
At up to eighteen meters long and thirty kilograms in weight, the humpback whale is one of the larger whale species. However, blue whales, fin whales, and sperm whales, for example, are considerably larger. The upper surface of the humpback whale is gray-black and therefore rather inconspicuous. Only the large pectoral fins and the underside are light-colored.
Each humpback whale has an individual tail fin. The drawing on the underside of the tail is as unique as our fingerprint. By comparing these patterns, researchers can identify humpback whales with certainty.
Humpback whales migrate back and forth between their polar feeding grounds and their subtropical breeding grounds. This spectacle is repeated every year and is one of the largest migrations in the world.
Because whales migrate at different rates and some populations do not complete the entire journey, there are many excellent places to view humpback whales throughout the year. Some are near hunting grounds, others near breeding grounds, and still others are on the migration route, meaning thousands of humpback whales pass by on their way to or from their migration.
So you know where and when!
Here you will find a brief overview of popular countries that are good for observing humpback whales.
Popular countries to see humpback whales while whale watching:
Caribbean (January to March) e.g. Samana in the Dominican Republic
Azores (March to June)
Alaska (May to September) e.g. Juneau, Gustavus
Canada (May to September) e.g. Vancouver Island, St. Lawrence River, Newfoundland
Madagascar (June to September)
Norway (June to August) e.g. Lofoten, Svalbard
Iceland (June to September) e.g. Husavik, Dalvik, Reykjavik
Australia East Coast (June to November) e.g. Hervey Bay, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Eden, Sydney
Australia West Coast e.g. Albany (June to September), Augusta (June & July), Perth (September to November), Broome (July to September)
Greenland (July to September)
Norway Skjervøy (November to February, because the whales follow the herring into the fjords)
Important Humpback Whale Characteristics for Whale Watching
Classification: Baleen whale Size: approx. 15 meters long (12-18m) Blow: 3-6 meters high, clearly audible Dorsal fin = fin: small and inconspicuous Tail fin = fluke almost always visible when diving Special feature: longest pinball machine in the animal kingdom Good to see: blow, back, fluke Breathing rhythm: usually 3-4 times before diving Dive time: 3-10 minutes, maximum 30 minutes Acrobatic jumps: common (especially in breeding areas)
Humpback Whale Watching IslandTypical hump when divingHumpback whale individual tail finHumpback whale group underwaterHumpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) Migrating humpback whale NorwayTail fin of a humpback whaleHumpback whale close-up SkjervoyThe white fins of the humpback whaleHumpback whale in Mexico's Baja CaliforniaHumpback whales jumping MexicoBlowhole and back of the humpback whaleTail fin of humpback whale IcelandWhale watching LofotenOpplevelserHumpback whale raises tail finHumpback Whale Tour Hauganeshumpback whale breathing opening blowholeWhale watching in NorwaySnorkeling with humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) Lofoten-Opplevelser in Skjervoy Norway
Texts and photos are protected by copyright. The copyrights of this article in words and images are entirely owned by AGE ™. All rights reserved. Content for print / online media can be licensed on request.
This website uses cookies: You can of course delete these cookies and deactivate the function at any time. We use cookies in order to be able to present the contents of the homepage to you in the best possible way and to be able to offer functions for social media as well as to be able to analyze the access to our website. In principle, information about your use of our website can be passed on to our partners for social media and analysis. Our partners can combine this information with other data that you have provided to them or that they have collected as part of your use of the services.AgreeMore information
Size: approx. 15 meters long (12-18m)
Blow: 3-6 meters high, clearly audible
Dorsal fin = fin: small and inconspicuous
Tail fin = fluke almost always visible when diving
Special feature: longest pinball machine in the animal kingdom
Good to see: blow, back, fluke
Breathing rhythm: usually 3-4 times before diving
Dive time: 3-10 minutes, maximum 30 minutes
Acrobatic jumps: common (especially in breeding areas)
