Humpback Whale

Description

The humpback whale is one of the most recognizable and well-studied of all cetacean species, known for its distinctive body shape, acrobatic surface behavior, and complex songs. Adults typically reach lengths of 40 to 60 feet and weigh approximately 25 to 40 tons. Their most distinguishing features are their extraordinarily long pectoral flippers, which can measure up to one-third of their total body length and are the longest appendage of any animal. The body is predominantly dark gray to black on the dorsal surface with variable white patterning on the ventral side and flippers. The head and lower jaw are covered with rounded protuberances called tubercles, each containing a single sensory hair. The flukes (tail fins) have distinctive black-and-white patterns on their underside that are unique to each individual, functioning much like a fingerprint for identification purposes.

Habitat & Range

Humpback whales are found in all major ocean basins, undertaking some of the longest migrations of any mammal. The North Pacific population migrates between summer feeding grounds in Alaska and British Columbia and winter breeding grounds near Hawaii and Mexico. During spring and fall migration, humpback whales travel along the coast of California, and they are frequently spotted in the waters off Orange County, particularly between December and May. Some humpback whales also linger in the productive waters of the Southern California Bight during summer to feed on abundant anchovy and krill populations. They typically prefer shallow, coastal waters over continental shelves, banks, and island margins for both feeding and breeding, though they cross deep oceanic waters during migration.

Diet

Humpback whales feed on a variety of small prey including krill, anchovies, sardines, herring, mackerel, and other small schooling fish. They employ several remarkable feeding strategies, the most famous being bubble-net feeding, in which a group of whales cooperatively blow a circular curtain of bubbles around a school of prey to concentrate them before lunging upward through the center with mouths agape. Individual humpbacks may also use lunge feeding, where they accelerate into prey aggregations, or flick feeding, using their flippers and flukes to stun or concentrate fish. An adult humpback can consume approximately one ton of food per day during the feeding season. Their baleen plates number between 270 and 400 on each side of the upper jaw and are predominantly dark in color with coarse bristles suited for catching larger prey items.

Behavior

Humpback whales are renowned for their spectacular surface behaviors, including breaching (launching their bodies almost entirely out of the water), pectoral fin slapping, lobtailing (slapping the tail flukes on the water surface), and spy-hopping (raising the head vertically out of the water). Male humpback whales produce complex, haunting songs that can last for hours and are thought to play a role in mating displays. All males within a population sing a nearly identical song that gradually evolves over the course of a breeding season. Humpback whales are relatively social and may be seen in small groups, especially on feeding and breeding grounds. Females give birth to a single calf every two to three years following a gestation period of approximately 11 months. Mother-calf bonds are strong, with calves staying close to their mothers for about a year. Humpbacks have a lifespan of approximately 80 to 90 years.

Conservation Status

Humpback whales were severely depleted by commercial whaling, with an estimated 90% of the North Pacific population killed before the International Whaling Commission enacted protections in 1966. Since then, most populations have shown remarkable recovery. In 2016, NOAA Fisheries divided the globally listed humpback whale into 14 distinct population segments under the Endangered Species Act. The Central North Pacific population that breeds near Hawaii was delisted, while other populations retain Endangered or Threatened status. The IUCN lists the species overall as Least Concern, reflecting the global recovery trend. Current threats include entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, underwater noise pollution, habitat degradation, and climate-driven shifts in prey availability. Off Southern California, whale-watching operations follow strict approach guidelines to minimize disturbance to these increasingly common visitors.