WHATSTHATFISH
Mammals & birds

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

Also known as: Big-winged New Englander, Bunch Whale, Cetacea, Fin-backed Whale, Hump Whale, Hump-backed Whale, Hunchback Whale, Hunch-backed Whale, Mammalia, Rorquals, Rorqual Whale

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2018
Adult
@greatwhite · Fafa Resort, Tonga · October 20111 / 27
01

Overview

Found usually in family pods, in open waters of oceans across the world.
They feed on small fish and krill.
Widespread - Arctic ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean

These whales are very acrobatic especially the babies which are often found breaching and slapping the water.
Males produce a complex song that lasts for 10-20mins and can be repeated hour after hour.
They feed in summer in polar waters feeding off their fat reserves in the winter and often migrate up to 16,000 miles each year to tropical and sub tropical waters to breed and give birth in the winter.
Like other whales, humpbacks are a victim of the whaling industry and have almost been hunted to the point of extinction.

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How to identify

COLOURS
Behaviour
open water

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Arctic
  • Country only · 27
LIVES IN

Found usually in family pods, in open waters of oceans across the world.

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Adult photos 27

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classMammalia
    4. orderCetartiodactyla
    5. familyBalaenopteridae
    6. genusMegaptera
    7. speciesMegaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781)

    SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

    06

    More in the family

    Cetartiodactyla