EcoWorld - Whales

The head of the Humpback Whale is rounded and flat, apart from the raised lumps or tubercles, also found on their lower jaw. Tail flukes are large and almost 'wing-shaped' with white markings unique to each individual, occassionally you will see an all black fluke. Dorsal fins also vary in size and shape from individual to individual and the Humpback Whale is black to blue-black in colour, with pale to white bellies that can show black markings. It is with all these unique markings that individual whales can be easily identified.

All populations of Humpback Whale migrate yearly to feed, and again for breeding season. Some whales, such as the Hawaii populations, travel seemingly impossible distances. These whales will travel from the Hawaiian Islands to the Bering Strait and Alaska's Glacier Bay every year to feed.

Weight: weight ranges from 25-30 tonnes (27.5 to 33 tons).

Length: between 12-14m (40 to 46 feet) in length, with the females generally larger than the males .

Lifespan: Humpbacks are estimated to live about 50 years.

Habitat and Range: The Humpback Whale is one of the most widely distributed whale species. They can be found in all oceans from the Arctic to the Antarctic, with regularly recognized populations located in almost every sea. The Humpback Whale spends a lot of time in shallower, offshore waters, more than other rorqual species, but cross thousands of kilometers of deep, open ocean when migrating between summer and winter grounds.

Endangered Status: 20,000 animals. Vulnerable.