Humpback Whale

About the Humpback Whale

Their songs can last up to 23 hours and travel thousands of kilometers underwater. Each population has a distinct song that evolves over time - like a changing cultural hit. They bubble-net feed: blowing rings of bubbles to corral fish, then lunging through the center with mouths open. They migrate 8,000+ km each way between feeding and breeding grounds. Their pectoral fins are the longest of any whale at 5 meters. They were hunted to near-extinction (only 1,000 remained) but have recovered to 80,000. They are the most acrobatic large whale, frequently breaching. Their brain contains spindle neurons associated with social cognition.