 Humpback
Whale: Megaptera novaeangliae
Random Facts: At least 3 different kinds of
barnacles are commonly found on Humpback whales. Humpbacks
feed using a "bubble-net" technique, where a group of
whales blows bubbles while swimming in circles. The ring of
bubbles encircles the fish. The whales then suddenly swim upwards
though the bubble net, mouths open, swallowing thousands of fish
at once! Humpbacks frequently breach, throwing two thirds or more
of their body out of the water and splashing down on their back.
Thousands of Humpbacks travel to Hawaii every year (showing us
just how intelligent they are) to mate and calf. There are
no natural predators to the Humpback in these waters so the calves
have a greater chance of survival. They do not eat for the
whole six weeks they are there as there is no food for them in
the Hawaiin waters. They must return to their feeding
grounds but the young have grown by then and are less vulnerable.
Endangered: Vulnerable: Due to commercial
whaling, ship collisions, entanglement in fishing gear and
disturbance from industrial noise. However, they seem to be a
resilient species and numbers are increasing. Yet they have not
reached high enough population numbers to be taken out of the
"Vulnerable" category just yet.
Habitat: Found in all the worlds oceans.
Food: krill, small shrimp-like crustaceans,
and various kinds of small fish.
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