10 Facts About Humpback Whales

Recently, during our tours, we’ve encountered humpback whales, prompting us to share some fascinating facts about these incredible creatures! 

1. Feeding Technique: Humpback whales feed by gulping water and filtering out prey such as fish, krill, and plankton using their baleen.
2. Humpback whales are one of the largest species of whales in British Columbian waters, with females being larger than males and capable of growing over 50 feet long and weighing up to 40 tons. (about the size of a school bus)
3. The pectoral fins of humpback whales are the largest of any whale, reaching up to 16 feet or ⅓ of their body length.
4. The scientific name of a humpback whale is Megaptera novaeangliae, meaning “big-winged New Englander,” an ode to their extra-long pectoral fins and where Europeans first observed humpbacks.  
5. Humpback whales undergo one of the longest migrations of any mammal, travelling thousands of miles between their feeding grounds in colder waters and their breeding grounds in warmer waters. During this migration, they travel up to 16,000 kilometres (10,000 miles) round-trip!
6. Humpback whales are well-known for their complex songs which are sung in their breeding grounds, that can last from a few minutes to several hours!
7. Humpbacks encountered in British Columbia will migrate to Mexico and/or Hawaii to breed and give birth.
8. Humpback whales have a feeding strategy called “bubble-net feeding,” they blow bubbles in a circular pattern to corral prey before lunging through the bubbles with their mouths open. This feeding technique is most often utilized in groups and only on the west coast of North America.
9. The term “humpback comeback” denotes the rise in the number of humpback whales following the near-extinction of their population during the whaling period in the Pacific Ocean (which ceased in 1967).
10. Social Behavior: While often encountered on their own, humpback whales can also be found in large aggregations, particularly during their breeding season or during cooperative feeding. Even when travelling alone, they are always in communication range with other humpbacks, as their frequency spans up to 200 miles! 

As humpback whales slowly return from their migration over the next couple of months, we look forward to welcoming them back to BC!