Sandra MurrayNewfoundland Travel - Humpback Whale
Humpback whales are amazing mammals and a species that is of great interest to me. I love to watch them blow, surface, tail slap, and breach from the coast of my home community of Pouch Cove, Newfoundland, Canada. The more I see of these mammals, the more I want to learn. Based on direct observation, speaking with others, and doing online research, I discovered fascinating details about humpback whales that I would love to share with you. #humpback #whale #newfoundland #oceanlife #mammal
Humpback whales have a life expectancy of 45-50 years but some have been known to live for up to 80 years. Unlike many love stories in the wild, this species does not mate for life and the male may have many sexual partners in one breeding season. #whale #humpbackwhalelifeexpectancy #humpbackwhalesocial
The female humpback whale is larger than the male, weighing about 45 tons and reaching a length of about 49 feet. From a distance, it is hard to distinguish the sex of a humpback whale as the male's sexual organs are tucked inside a slit on the whale's ventral side. However, if you see a mature humpback with a calf nearby, it suggests that the adult is a female because the mother and calf stay together for about one year after the calf's birth and they share quite a strong bond. Male humpback whales, on the other hand, do not typically remain with the family. #whale #humpbackwhalepod #whalepod #whalefamily #whalesize #humpbackwhaleappearance
The physical appearance of a humpback whale is quite spectacular. Its pectoral flippers are quite long, measuring about 15 feet and extending about 1/3 the length of their body. #pectoralfin #whalefin
Among other uses, the humpback whales use their fins to defend against predators, to help regulate their body temperatur and to steer and stabilize their bodies as they glide through ocean waters. #pectoralfin #whale #humpbackwhale #breach #whalebreach #humpbackwhaleflipperpurpose #flippering
An interesting feature found alongside the humpback's mouth are round knobs known as tubercles. These tubercles are much like whale whiskers as they contain a hair filament that enables the whale to detect information about its surroundings. #whaleturercle #whalehead #whalesurfacing #tubercle
Centrally on the whale's head, you can see two blowholes. These are essential to allow the whale to breath. Impressively, humpback whales can inhale as much as 90% oxygen from the air through their blowholes (in comparison to humans who inhale an average of only 5% oxygen with each breath). The high volume of oxygen inhaled allows them to oxygenate their lungs and hold their breath for up to an hour. Under normal circumstances, humpback whales tend to only hold their breath for about 5 minutes at a time. A musculature flap seals off the blow hole and prevents water from getting in and air from escaping as the whale submerges under the water. #blowhole #whaleblowhole #whale #humpbackwhale #whalebreathing
Some portions of the humpback whale's body may be covered in barnacles. These barnacles are usually harmless and can provide a source of natural protection from predators. If the barnacles cause skin irritation, the whale can rub its body against hard objects such as rocks to remove them. #barnacle #whalebarnacle
Along the back of the humpback whale there is a dorsal fin which is small and stubby in comparison to its body size. When the whale is bending to dive, the small hump in front of the dorsal fin becomes more pronounced and is more clearly visible. The dorsal fin enhances the whale's balance and to allows for controlled swimming motion as it glides through the waters. #whale #dorssalfin #fin #whalefin #humpbackwhale
At the far end of its body is the humpback whale's tail. Did you know that the whale's tail is the strongest muscle of any mammal? It is quite useful as a defense against predators, including Orca whales. #humpbackwhale #whalewatching #whaletale #tailfluke
The tail is divided into two lobes known as flukes. Impressively, each humpback whale's fluke has a distinctive appearance that, much like a human fingerprint, are unique to each whale. If you are interested, why not submit your tail fluke images to the link below to identify your whale and to receive information about its migratory pattern? #humpbackwhalemigration #whalefluke
As you visit the ocean in hopes of spotting a whale, keep an eye out for a greasy looking circle atop the ocean. This is most likely a humpback whale's footprint and signifies the spot where a humpback whale had, moments earlier, propelled itself forward movement through the water. #whalefootprint
Also remain alert for signs of light shades moving underwater. These may be the reflections of its ventral grooves along the humpback whale's tummy as it nears the ocean surface. #ventralgroove #whaleventralgroove
With the exception of mamma, calf and perhaps an escort, humpback whales do not travel in large pods. However, they sometimes form associations when in the cooler waters in their feeding zones. When the humpbacks are in warm waters during the mating season, there may be several males in close association with a female as they compete for pairing with her. #humpbackwhalepod #whalepod
Most times, when humpbacks are seen along the coast of the feeding ground, such as Newfoundland, they are feeding. Did you know that humpback whales are baleen whales (meaning that they have no teeth but, instead, 300-400 bristly filters lining their mouth?) #baleenwhale #baleen
As the humpback whale feeds, it plunges through the fish-rich waters. Simultaneously, ventral grooves extending from its mouth to its belly expand to hold the high volume of water and fish entering its mouth. Fish are trapped in the whale's mouth but water is permitted to filter out of the mouth through the baleens. Not all sea water gets released back to the sea through filtration. The remainder is expelled through its two blowholes on its head. Humpback whales will eat an average of 3000 pounds of food daily. #whalefeeding #baleen
Most humpback whales feed by plunge feeding. However, some feed by bubble net feeding. Although I have never seen the later, bubble feeding involves a pod of whales engaging in a cooperative group feeding method. This is well demonstrated in the video above. #bubblenetfeeding #humpbackwhalefeeding #humpback #whale
Humpback whales are most commonly seen in Newfoundland in the summer months (mid June through mid September) but sometimes they stay beyond these timelines. Their migration to cooler waters such as Newfoundland is timed to the migratory pattern of fish (in the case of Newfoundland, chiefly the capelin). After the feeding season ends, the humpback whales return to warm waters to mate and give birth. During calfing months, they typically do not eat but, instead, live off the blubber which has been deposited during their feeding season. #whalemigration #humpbackwhale
A female humpback whale reaches sexual maturity by age 6-10. Males are vocal during the mating season in efforts to secure receptive mates and, in fact, will seek out multiple mates each season. The female can give birth to one live calf every 2-3 years and does so in the warmer ocean waters. The gestation period is about 12 months and, after birth, the calf will stay with its mother for 6-12 months. #humpbackwhalegestation
At birth, a calf is about 15 feet long and weighs about 1500 pounds. In its first year of life, the calf will double in length. The mother's milk has a high fat content (about 50%) that is essential for the calf's continued growth. A calf will consume 150 gallons of its mother's milk every day! The mother will lose up to 1/3 of her total body weight before returning north to feed. The young humpback whale will continue growing until it reaches about 10 years of age. #humpbackwhalecalf #humpbackwhalecalfnutrition
The migration of the humpback whale is the longest migration of any mammal on earth. Many tourists time their holidays to Newfoundland with the arrival of whales and hope to see one during their travel. Likewise, many humpbacks enjoy the thrill of "spyhopping" (people watching) and will pop their heads out of the water and watch people as people are watching them! #spyhopping #humpbackwhalespyhopping #tourismnl #newfoundland #newfoundlandtourism
Imagine the excitement when, for the first time, you see a humpback whale flippering (flipper slapping), lobtailing (tail slapping), and breaching! Many tourists (and locals) book a whale watching tour boat to increase their chances of seeing these majestic mammals in the open sea. There are many charters from which to select, Gatherall's puffin and whale watching boat tour being one such company. #lobtailing #flippering #breaching #whalebreaching #whaleflippering #whalelobtailing
Why do humpbacks perform these acrobatics? There are many theories to this question and perhaps no single answer . Here are some of the theories I have found:
To communicate with other humpbacks regarding the presence of food or danger in the area
To enhance food supply by causing fish in the area to startle and gather
To express joy
To engage in fun and social engagement
To promote cardiovascular health and muscular strength and coordination. Some believe that, during the feeding season, the calf must be taught to deep dive to prepare for its long migration back to warmer waters in the fall of the year and that lung capacity and muscular strength is enhanced through breaching behavior
To display dominance and health
To enhance digestion
To rid the body of barnacles and other parasites
No matter what the cause, watching these amazing mammals perform their acrobatic stunts is a thrill to behold. #whalesocializing #whalebreaching #whalelobtailing #whaleflippering
The main threat to humpback whales existence is man (ship strikes and entanglement in fishing nets and gear).
Since the ban on commercial whaling in1986, humpback whales are no longer an endangered species as they once were and, in many areas of the world, they are once again beginning to thrive.
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