The
Humpback Whale (
Megaptera novaeangliae) is a
mammal which belongs to the baleen
whales suborder. It is a large whale (15m, 30 tonnes when adult), and is well known for its breaching and other displays. It has a worldwide distribution, and in
Europe is regularly seen in the
Bay of Biscay.
This rorqual is an energetic feeder, taking fish and krill. It will hunt fish by direct attack or by stunning them by hitting the water with its flippers or flukes. The most inventive technique is for a group of whales to confine fish within a circle of bubbles before launching an onslaught,
This is one of the easiest large whales to identify. It has a stocky body with an obvious hump and black upperparts. The head and lower jaw are covered with knobs (actually hair follicles). The tail flukes, which are lifted high in the dive sequence, have wavy rear edges.
The long black and white flippers have unique patterns, which enable individual whales to be recognised (in a similar way to the bill markings on Bewick's Swans).
The stubby dorsal fin is visible soon after the blow when the whale surfaces, but has disappeared by the time the flukes emerge. It has a distinctive 3m bushy blow. This whale is famous for its long and complex song.
It is estimated that whaling took 250,000 humpbacks. Today, only about 20,000 remain.
- Tail flukes
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- Larger image
- breaching
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- Larger image
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