Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing humpback whales.
The humpback whale gets its common name from the obvious dorsal fin that protrudes from its back.
Each individual humpback whale has a unique dorsal fin and this, along with the ridges
and patterns along their tail, helps researchers and observers identify individual humpbacks. They
also get their common name from their behavior of forming a hump in their back before making a dive.
Like all whales, humpback whales are mammals. Among the mammals alive today, humpback whales
make some of the longest migrations. A single trip from feeding waters to breeding waters
can reach over three thousand miles (4,828km)! And all of this can be traversed in just a
month's time! Though there are always exceptions and humpbacks whales living in the Arabian Sea
don't migrate and remain in the same place year round. Humpback whales are found in almost all
parts of the oceans around the world and they have even been seen traveling up rivers and into bays.
These are generally a coastal species, though their travels can take them far from land.
The humpback whale is a baleen whale. It has plates of baleen that hang from its upper jaw and
trap prey inside. The humpback whale has grooves along its throat down past its pectoral fins,
which you might call its flippers! These grooves allow the whale to expand its mouth wide and take
in lots of sea water. Like other mammals, a humpback whale can't swallow a lot of sea
water - it would dehydrate them - so they push the sea water out of their mouth through the baleen.
Small animals that were in the sea water can't pass through the baleen, so they become trapped in
the whale's mouth and are then swallowed once the sea water has all been expelled. This is how all
baleen whales eat! They're giant filter feeders! Fascinatingly, these whales, being some of the
largest animals alive, eat some of the smallest animals there are. Krill make up a portion of
a humpback whale's diet and they also eat other small animals that get caught in their maw like
fish and cephalopods. Surprisingly, these gigantic animals don't eat throughout the entire year.
An adult humpback whale ranges in length from 36 to over 50 feet (11-15m) long.
That's about the length of a school bus, over even longer at their largest size. Females,
who have to take care of their young, are the largest. Humpback whales are unique in
the whale world for having the longest pectoral fins of all whale species! A humpback whale's
"flippers" can reach almost a third of their entire length, meaning they can be upwards of
fifteen feet (4.6m) long! That's about the length of your average car! So next time you're standing
next to a sedan or small SUV, remember that a humpback whale's fin would reach from its front
bumper to its back! While you're at it, consider that newborn humpback whales reach the same
length! And while humpback whales don't quite compete with the largest living animal,
the blue whale, they can certainly still boast as some of the heavyweights of the world. On average,
an adult humpback weighs 35 tons which is about the same as SIX full grown African elephants!!
Even with all this weight, humpback whales stop eating for periods of time.
While in their breeding waters, some humpback whales stop eating entirely.
The colder waters where they feed are rich in food, but the tropical waters where they breed
don't offer the same fare. Generally speaking,
northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere humpback whales do not interact with one
another. Their migrations are opposite as the seasons in the hemispheres are opposite.
This can even be seen in their appearance where southern hemisphere humpback whales have
more white patterns along their sides compared to the darker northern hemisphere humpbacks.
Humpback whales travel to their tropical breeding waters during winter and spend the coldest parts
of the year in the warmest parts of the world. Here they'll court, mate, and give birth. Humpback
whale males use their song to court females. Their songs are specific and unique to different
parts of the world. This means a humpback from the northern Pacific will have a different song from a
southern Indian ocean dwelling humpback. Here is an example of the humpback whale's song: (audio).
Did you know only the male humpback whales sing? In a specific population, this song changes
only slightly over time. The song lasts about half an hour and is repeated for hours on end
to entice a group of females. Like sea lions, male humpback whales compete for a harem of
ladies with which to mate. Humpback whales reach reproductive maturity around five years of age,
but males may take longer to actually begin breeding because of this competition.
Humpback whales congregate in breeding grounds to mate, and feeding grounds to catch food,
but in general they travel alone or spaced far apart. A female gestates for almost a year.
She will then spend the next year focused on raising her baby and avoid breeding, so female
humpback whales only breed every other year. Her baby nurses anywhere from six to ten months. Their
mother's milk helps them grow substantially in their first year and her protection keeps them
safe from potential predators. Humpback whale milk is upwards of 60% fat. For comparison,
human milk is about 2% fat. Predators who attack a young humpback or even a weak adult include
killer whales, false killer whales, and sharks. Humans also pose a threat to humpback whales.
Whaling caused huge population losses to all whale species, and has since been outlawed in
most parts of the world. Humans still harm these giant animals, however,
through run-ins with boats, entanglement in fishing gear, and water pollution. While it's
unknown how long a humpback whale can live, it's estimated they may survive 50 to 80 years old!
Because they're mammals, humpback whales require air to breathe.
They take in and release air through blowholes on the top of their head which kind of act like
a nose! Though, it should be noted that humpback whales have a terrible, if any, sense of smell.
Here's an example of a humpback whale blowhole in action: (audio).
They can reach top swimming speeds over 15 miles per hour (24kmh), but
average something closer to five miles per hour (8kmh). They most frequently
remain towards the water's surface diving to about 20 feet (6m) below the waves,
though they can dive deeper. These dives last anywhere from four to 20 minutes.
Something cool about humpback whales is that they have a fascinating feeding strategy
known as bubble net feeding. These mammals will swim below a large population of prey
and release bubbles in a circle around the prey. This traps the prey in a single spot. The whale,
or whales if it's a group effort, then swims up from below the prey with a wide open mouth
and takes in as much sea water as it can fit. This is a quick way to consume a lot of food
all at once! In a single day, one adult humpback whale may eat more than a ton of food!
Some other awe inspiring humpback whale behavior involves their breaching. Like great white sharks,
humpback whales can jump fully out of the water. The whale swims up fast and propels itself
over the water's surface before splashing back down on its back.
It's not fully understood why humpback whales do this. It may be part of mating,
but then that doesn't explain young whales performing this behavior. It may just be for fun!
For more facts on humpback whales, check out the links below. Give a thumbs up if
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