Humpback Whales
A magnificient creature that needs our help!
The humpback whale is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual; a
member of the family Balaenopteridae. Adults range in length from 14 to
17 metres and weigh up to 40 metric tons. The humpback has a distinctive
body shape, with long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. Found in oceans
and seas around the world, humpback whales typically migrate up to
16,000 km each year. They feed in polar waters and migrate to tropical
or subtropical waters to breed and give birth. Their diet consists
mostly of krill and small fish. Unique among large whales, humpbacks use
bubbles to catch prey. They are promiscuous breeders, with both sexes
having multiple partners. Orcas are the main natural predators of
humpback whales. Like other large whales, the humpback was a target for
the whaling industry. Humans once hunted the species to the brink of
extinction; its population fell to around 5,000 by the 1960s.
While numbers have partially recovered to some 135,000 animals
worldwide, entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with ships, and
noise pollution continue to affect the species.
Learn more on Wikipedia here!