A Look into the Humpbcak Whale
Overview:
The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus Megaptera. Adults range in length from 14 to 17 m (46 to 56 ft) and weigh up to 40 metric tons (44 short tons). The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with long pectoral fins and tubercles on its head. It is known for breaching and other distinctive surface behaviors, making it popular with whale watchers. Males produce a complex song that typically lasts from 4 to 33 minutes.
Behavior:
Humpback whale groups, aside from mothers and calves, typically stay together for days or weeks at the most. They are normally sighted in small groups, though large aggregations form during feeding and among males competing for females. Humpbacks may interact with other cetacean species, such as right whales, fin whales, and bottlenose dolphins. Humpbacks are highly active at the surface, performing aerial behaviors such as breaching, surface slapping with the tail fluke (lobtailing) and flippers, and peduncle throws, which involve the tail crashing sideways on the surface. These may be forms of play and communication, and may help to remove parasites. The species is a slower swimmer than other rorquals, cruising at 7.9–15.1 km/h (4.9–9.4 mph). When threatened, a humpback may speed up to 27 km/h (17 mph). Their proportionally long pectoral fins give them great propulsion and allow them to swim in any direction, independently of the movements of the tail. Humpbacks are able to flap and rotate their flippers in a manner similar to California sea lions.
Feeding:
Humpback whales feed from spring to fall. They are generalist feeders; their main food items are krill, copepods, other plankton, and small schooling fish. The most common krill species eaten in the southern hemisphere is the Antarctic krill. Farther north, the northern krill and various species of Euphausia and Thysanoessa are consumed. Fish prey include herring, capelin, sand lances, and Atlantic mackerel. Like other rorquals, humpbacks are "gulp feeders", swallowing prey in bulk, while right whales and bowhead whales are skimmers. The whale increases its mouth gape by expanding the grooves. Water is pushed out through the baleen. In the southern hemisphere, humpbacks have been recorded foraging in large, compact gatherings numbering up to 200 individuals. A study undertaken in May 2009 found a super-aggregation of krill in Wilhelmina Bay, on the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a large number of humpback whales feeding on the krill.