Save 50% off a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The head and lower jaw are covered with small, round bumps on the front of the head called knobs or tubercles, and are characteristic of the species. Humpbacks typically travel alone or in small groups, called pods, consisting of two or three whales, according to Whale Facts. Humpbacks can eat up to 3,000 lbs. Here is the taxonomy information for humpback whales, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS): Kingdom: Animalia Subkingdom: Bilateria Infrakingdom: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Superclass: Tetrapoda Class: Mammalia Subclass: Theria Infraclass: Eutheria Order: Cetacea Suborder: Mysticeti Family: Balaenopteridae Genus: Megaptera Species: Megaptera novaeangliae. The humpback whale was originally identified in 1756 by Jacques Brisson, a French philosopher and zoologist. NY 10036. Visit our corporate site. Humpbacks don't normally have a hump on their backs; the name comes from the large hump that forms when they arch their backs before making a deep dive into the ocean. The male humpback whale is famous for its extraordinarily long and complex songs which … Some scientists think that they may do this to splash off parasites, but they may just do it because it's fun. The most vocal of all whales, humpbacks make a great variety of sounds, from moans and cries to groans and snores. A hunting method unique to humpbacks is called bubble netting. You will receive a verification email shortly. The species got its name as the “right” whale to hunt: these animals swim slowly close to shore and are so blubber-rich they float when dead. Hundreds of years of commercial whaling decimated the species by the early 1900s. Their tails are also massive and grow up to 18 feet (5.5 m) wide. She carries her young for a gestation period of about 12 months, according to the ACS. These population increases have prompted the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to change the status of the humpback whale from endangered to vulnerable. The humpback whale was at one time commercially valuable and was greatly reduced in numbers by overhunting in the early and mid-20th century. The large and robust body of the humpback whale is 50 feet or equivalent to one and a half buses. Receive mail from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors? 2. All that length makes for a lot of weight. Humpback Whale Facts Humpbacks are famous for their haunting, melodic songs and for their ability to do acrobatic tricks in the water. Humpbacks have the most complex and varied songs of any whale species. Calves can drink about 158 gallons (600 liters) of milk per day. Humpbacks often propel themselves above the water and then splash back down, according to National Geographic. When together, they communicate with each other and travel together, and moms and their young even touch fins as a possible sign of endearment. Please refresh the page and try again. Humpback whale watching in the waters off Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia. Songs. Humpbacks are one of 12 species of baleen whales, characterized by their baleen plates and paired blowholes, according to NOAA Fisheries. It frequently breaches by leaping belly-up completely clear of the water, then arching backward and returning to the surface with a loud slapping sound. They usually range from 12 to 16 meters in length and weigh about 36 metric tons. Stay up to date on the coronavirus outbreak by signing up to our newsletter today. 3. They often hunt in small groups, called pods. Humpback whales live along all ocean coasts, often swimming along the shore, including in harbors and rivers. Male humpbacks reach an average of 46 feet and 25 tons, females an average of 49 feet and 35 tons. The purpose of the hairs is not known, but it is thought that they may be motion detectors. Humpback whales are amazing for many reasons! Humpback whales are known for their haunting songs, which are complex sequences of moans, howls and cries that often continue for hours, according to National Geographic. They stay there year-round, eating and mating all in the same area, according to the ACS. each. Most humpback whale sightings in Glacier Bay are within ½ mile of shore. An adult is about the size of a school bus! To eat prey, they take large gulps of water. Humpback whales are enormous creatures — about the size of a school bus. This is called breaching. The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. 1. Diet consists of shrimplike crustaceans called krill, small fish, and plankton, which the humpback whale strains out of the water with its baleen. All males in a population sing the same song, but the songs of each population are different. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies humpbacks as least concern on its Red List of Threatened Species. A humpback whale leaps from the ocean’s surface! They are identified from other whales due to their large flippers, almost one-third of their body size, and the hump on their backs. They scoop up their food in their large mouths. Norway, Iceland and Russia kill large numbers of whales each year. The low limit for human hearing is 20 hertz. They are also called rorqual whales. Rorqual whales are relatively streamlined and have pointed heads and fins. Nevertheless, some humpbacks are still hunted, for subsistence purposes, in Greenland. Antarctic whales—particularly humpbacks (. Fast Facts Type: Mammal Diet: Omnivore Size: 48 to 62.5 ft (14.6 to 19 m) Weight: 40 tons (36 metric tons) Group name: Pod Protection status: Least Concern. During the winter, they swim to the warm waters closer to the Equator, around Hawaii, South America and Africa. But these marine giants don't just bellow out loud songs. The dorsal fin shape varies, but is often a small triangular nubbin with a step or hump mos… Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Populations have recovered, to between 30,000 and 40,000, which is about 30 to 35 percent of the population in 1940, according to the American Cetacean Society. Although the humpback is the only species in the genus Megaptera, it is related to other rorquals of the family Balaenopteridae, including the blue whale, fin whale, and sei whale. 27 April 2017. Humpbacks are black on the upper (dorsal) side and mottled black and white on the under (ventral) side. In 2015, researchers reported hearing humpback vocalizations around 40 hertz. The humpback is also one of the most acrobatic cetaceans. The whale sounds typically have an audio frequency between 80 and 4,000 hertz, according to National Geographic. Humpbacks hunt in groups and use air bubbles to herd, corral or disorient fish. The plates are made of keratin, which is the same thing human hair and nails are made of. Like most whales, females are larger than males. This is because they have to remember to go to the surface for … Only male whales sing, so scientists think they are trying to attract potential mates. Humpback Whale: Facts & Conservation Status The Humpback whale is one of the most iconic species on the planet. Humpback Whale can be easily identified by their stocky body with obvious humps and black upper parts. A photographic catalog of all … Follow him on Twitter @TimothyASharp. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/animal/humpback-whale, LiveScience - Facts about Humpback Whales, International Union for Conservation of Nature. They are found in all major oceans and seas around the world. Sometimes they round up their prey by swimming in tight circles and blowing curtains of bubbles around them. The calves nurse for almost a year. When together, they communicate with each other and travel together, and moms and their young even touch fins as a possible sign of endearment. The Humpback whale breathe air at the surface of the water through 2 blowholes located near the top of the head. Humpback-whale watching at Rurutu, French Polynesia. Humpback whales fast during the winter living off of fat stores they’ve acquired during their feeding season. The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. Native people are allowed to kill a limited number of whales because whaling is a major part of their culture, according to Whale Facts. Premium Membership is now 50% off! Their mother's milk is 45 to 60 percent fat content, according to the ACS. The IUCN has a higher estimate of around 60,000 animals. Baleen plates are black and about 30 inches (76 cm) long, according to the NOAA. Rather than teeth, they have 270 to 400 fringed overlapping plates hanging down from each side of the upper jaw, called baleen plates. The first word of the humpback whale’s scientific name, (Image credit: © Dr Ingrid Visser, Orca Research Trust). This can be up to more than 15 feet! These behaviors may be used to communicate with one another. Humpbacks roam all over the world, but exactly where they may be found depends on the time of year. Songs gradually change from year to year. Humpbacks usually range from 12 to 16 metres (39 to 52 feet) in length and weigh approximately 36 metric tons (40 short [U.S.] tons). The tale of their return from the brink of extinction is a true success story, but the final chapters have yet to be written… The Humpback whale is as well known and well loved as any Cetacean on the planet. They can be distinguished from other whales by the deep grooves along their throats. The latter portion of the humpback’s species name is a Latin reference to the New England colonies, where it was first scientifically described. Vessel operating restrictions in whale waters are intended to minimize disturbance to feeding whales and lower the risk of whale/vessel collisions. Its song may also help it to find other whales. Though they double their length in the first year, calves keep growing until they are 10 years old. The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale.It is one of the larger rorqual species, with adults ranging in length from 12–16 m (39–52 ft) and weighing around 25–30 metric tons (28–33 short tons). Humpbacks can grow to 60 feet (18 meters) long, and they can weigh a whopping 40 tons (about half the size of a blue whale), according to the NOAA. • When preparing for a deep dive, humpbacks arch their back and raise their tail flukes above the water. The humpback whale is a member of the Balaenopteridae family of baleen whales. Whales in this group feed by straining prey through baleen plates lining the roof of their mouths. These whales can be easily recognized thanks to their size, large flippers and ability to produce beautiful songs. The newborns are between 10 and 15 feet (3 to 4.5 m) long and weigh up to a ton (907 kg). The shape and color pattern on the dorsal fin and flukes is unique to each individual, like human fingerprints. Each knob contains at least one stiff hair, according to the American Cetacean Society (ACS). The songs vary among groups of whales in different regions and undergo gradual but distinctive changes from year to year. Fast Facts: Humpback Whale A male may sing for hours, repeating the song several times. Omissions? Humpbacks typically travel alone or in small groups, called pods, consisting of two or three whales, according to Whale Facts. While a humpback isn't the biggest whale in the sea, it's one of the best known for its hauntingly beautiful song and for its habit of jumping out of the water or breaching. The exception is the humpbacks that live in the Arabian Sea. Like a human fingerprint, the tail of each humpback whale is unique. Humpback whales weigh as much as 40 tons. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer. Thank you for signing up to Live Science. Alina Bradford - Live Science Contributor The humpback whale’s back can appear to be humped, which is how the whale got its English name. The humpback has a distinctive body shape and unusually long pectoral fins (flippers), which are nearly one-third of their total body length. The humpback whale’s scientific name, Megaptera novaeanglia, means ‘big-winged New Englander’. Their blow is a double stream of spray that rises 10-13 feet (3.1-4 m) above the surface of the water. The scientific name, Megaptera novaeangliae, means "big-winged New Englander" because the population that swam off New England was the best known to Europeans, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). That discovery has helped researchers identify, catalog and monitor humpback whale migration, population size, sexual maturity and behavior patterns. Humpback whales live in both hemispheres making them to cross over the other side of the world during the feeding and breeding seasons. Humpback whales consume up to 1 360 kilograms of krill a day. Welcome to another episode of Natural World Facts! Turns out, they also have "indoor voices" when the situations calls for it, according to a study published April 25, 2017, in the journal Functional Ecology. The humpback whale is one of the most easily recognized whale species. Sometimes they even help each other hunt.Humpback whales migrate farther than any other mammal on Earth, according to the NOAA. Did you know some of the following facts? Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Marine biologists studying the humpback whale (. In the summer, many humpbacks spend their time in high-latitude feeding areas such of the Gulf of Alaska or the Gulf of Maine, according to the NOAA. Babies, called calves, are born live, like most mammals. Here are some fun and interesting facts about humpback whales that will excite you! The curtain of bubbles confines the prey to a small area in the middle of which one or more whales surface. Below the mouth are 12 to 36 throat grooves that expand to hold the water. Their flippers can grow up to 16 feet (5 m) long, which is the largest appendage in the world. Ventral pleats run from the tip of the lower jaw to the belly, according to the ACS. There was a problem. The baleens filter the water, and the two blowholes on the whale's back expel the water. The humpback whales of the western South Atlantic (WSA) have undergone an extraordinary recovery, according to a new study that suggests the population has grown to more than 90% of the size it was before commercial whaling took its toll. This cetacean is distinguished from other baleen whales by its long, narrow flippers, which are about a third as long as the body and scalloped on the forward edge. Corrections? Humpback whales have the longest flippers of any whale. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Each knob contains at least one stiff hair, whale sounds typically have an audio frequency between 80 and 4,000 hertz, Wildscreen Arkive: Humpback Whales Bubble Netting Video, World Wildlife Federation: Humpback Whale, American Cetacean Society: Humpback Whale, The best Lego sets for alien, sci-fi, space fans and more, Catch the full moon (and a penumbral eclipse) on Monday, 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics in history, Megalodon nurseries reveal world’s largest shark had a soft side, Adorable monkeys caught commiting grisly act of cannibalism. It is this arching that has earned the humpback whale its common name. The fish and other goodies remain in the whale for digestion. The researchers found that during their migrations of calves and their mothers to feeding grounds, the young ones made very quiet vocalizations; these calls were about 40 decibels quieter than those created by singing whales and up to 70 decibels lower than social vocalizations of adult humpback whales. The tail can be a whopping 18 feet wide. When it comes to length, the females are actually longer than the males. Humpbacks mostly dine on small fish, krill (tiny crustaceans) and plankton. Fun Facts About the Humpback. It has been protected worldwide from commercial whaling since the mid-1960s, and many populations have increased. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Commercial whaling of humpback whales is prohibited by the International Whaling Commission. Receive news and offers from our other brands? They are known for their haunting and melodic songs and for breaching the water with amazing acrobatic abilities. How long do humpback whales live? In 2009, the population in … Humpback whales are large mammals. The only known natural predator to hunt humpback whales is a pack of hungry killer whales. Humpbacks also have large knobs on the head, jaws, and body, each knob being associated with one or two hairs. Additional reporting by Reference Editor Tim Sharp. Humpback whale, a baleen whale known for its elaborate courtship songs and displays. Each krill … The humpback whale has an average lifespan of 45–50 years. As they don’t have teeth which could be used to estimate … Humpback whales are not the biggest whales — that's the blue whale. Japan also continues to hunt humpbacks, for scientific reasons. The body is black on the upper surface, with a variable amount of white below, and it has about 30 broad ventral grooves on the throat and chest. Black Friday Sale! A humpback whale, part of the rorqual family of whales, swims in the ocean. Humpback whales are baleen whales. The dorsal fin is small and set far back on the body. The researchers suspect the "whale whispering" may be a way for the mother-calf pairs to stay under the radar of nearby killer whales. A whale song is the creation of a pattern of predictable of sounds that are created by large baleen whales such as the humpback whale and blue whale (the blue whale is the largest animal in the world) in which these patterns resemble the notes of a song.. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 2. Humpbacks' heads are broad and rounded and covered with knobs, called tubercles. Humpbacks use a unique method of feeding called bubblenetting, in which bubbles are exhaled as the whale swims in a spiral below a patch of water dense with food. A female humpback has a baby every two to three years. The whales string these together to form “songs” lasting 5–35 minutes. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. By The East Australian Coast population can be spotted along the coast of Australia between April … They may also be used to show dominance and health during mating season, according to Whale Facts. New York, However, as recently as 1988, humpback whales were listed as endangered. The humpback whale is a noisy mammal, and the male actually “sings”. Humpback whales eat krill and small fish, for example herring, capelin, and sand lance. It is estimated that as much as 90% of the humpback whales population was eliminated during the whaling era. Humpback whale, (Megaptera novaeangliae), a baleen whale known for its elaborate courtship songs and displays. It is not known why the whale sings, but it may be to attract a female and warn off a rival male. Sometimes they even help each other hunt. THOSE BUMPS ARE HAIR FOLLICLES. North Atlantic right whales are one of the most endangered large whale species in the world. Reaching between 40 and 50 feet in length, a humpback whale can weigh up to 48 tons. The body is black on the upper surface, with a variable amount of white below, and it has about 30 broad ventral grooves on the throat and chest. Humpback whales live along the coasts of all oceans, occasionally swimming close to shore, even into harbours and rivers. These whales hunt and feed in the summer, and they will fast during mating season and live off the blubber reserves so they can focus on migration and mating, according to Whale Facts. Humpbacks live around 50 years, according to the NOAA. Some whales make a round trip journey of up to 10,000 miles. Humpback whale breaching: get ready for a big splash! They undertake long migrations between polar feeding grounds in summer and tropical or subtropical breeding grounds in winter. The whale’s arched back appears above the water as it dives. When beginning a deep dive, the animal hunches its back and rolls steeply forward, bringing its tail out of the water and perpendicular to the ocean surface. The longest ever recorded migration was 11,706 miles (18,840 km), a trip that went from American Samoa to the Antarctic Peninsula. Humpback whale is a type of whale that can be found in all oceans of the world. They also slap the water with their tails or flippers, according to the NOAA. Songs can be heard 20 miles (30 km) away, according to the NOAA. 1. The tail flukes of a humpback whale, which ar… (1,360 kilograms) of food per day, according to the NOAA. The humpback whale’s most distinctive physical feature are their long pectoral fins, which average one third of the whale’s total body length. Each of the distinctive bumps along a humpback’s head … Humpbacks are known for singing loud, complex “songs” – lasting up to 30 minutes long! © Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). A female humpback whale can measure in at around 50 feet long, while the males are a bit shorter.

humpback whale facts

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