Humpback Whales
Megaptera novaeangliae · also called Big-winged New Englander · Baleen whale
Humpback whales are medium-size baleen whales.
Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Cetacea |
| Family | Balaenopteridae |
| Genus | Megaptera |
| Species | novaeangliae |
Description
Humpback whales are easily identified by their unique long pectoral fins, which can measure up to 15 feet in length. They are dark grey, with a variable amount of white on their pectoral fins and belly that is distinctive and unique from whale to whale.
Size
Humpback females are larger than their male counterparts. Humpback whales measure 48 to 62.5 feet in length and weigh up to 40 tons.
Did You Know?
Humpback whales can dive to depths of 500–700 feet and stay submerged for up to 30 minutes.
Habitat & behavior
Humpback whales populate polar and tropical waters, most frequently the Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific Oceans, and less frequently the Bering Sea and the waters surrounding Antarctica. They migrate seasonally from the tropics to northern feeding grounds.
Diet
Humpback whales feed on krill and various small fish, using baleen plates suspended in their mouth to strain prey out of the water.
Communication
Humpback whales create complex songs that change over time, and can dive to depths of 500–700 feet, staying submerged for up to 30 minutes.
Birth & growth
Humpback whales carry their young for 11 to 11.5 months, giving birth to a single calf 13 to 16 feet in length. Calves are weaned between 6–10 months of age. Females reach sexual maturity between ages 4–5, males around age 7; females give birth every two years or more.
Life span
A humpback whale's lifespan is estimated between 45–100 years.
Social structure & athleticism
Humpback whales have a loose social structure: individuals live alone or in small, transient groups that disband after a short period, though pairs or small groups occasionally remain together for months or years. They are surprisingly acrobatic for their size, regularly breaching and slapping the water with their flippers and flukes.