13 Interesting Facts about Humpback Whales Hawaii
Humpback whales are amazing creatures that attracts countless visitors every year to Hawaii. These animals have always fascinated people with their unique body shape, distinctive features, pectoral fins, and knobbly head. Gear up as we have put together some amazing and interesting facts about humpback whales Hawaii!
Humpback whales are gigantic animals
These marine creatures weigh a staggering 40 tons and are almost the size of a school bus. Their flippers are also enormous accounting for one-third of their total length. The tail is a whopping 18 feet wide.
Humpback whales migrate to a huge distance
The gigantic beasts migrate approximately 16,000 miles in search of food and to fulfil their mating rituals. They feed during the summer months and mate in winter. You can spot them migrating to Svalbard, Greenland, Arctic, Atlantic, or Pacific Oceans. In a nutshell, they can be easily described as “globe trotters”.
The best time to catch glimpses of humpback whales is during winter
If you’re still wondering when can you see humpback whales in Hawaii, well, the best season to catch glimpses of them is December through April. Approximately 12,000 humpback whales visit the oceans of Hawaii each winter.
Humpback whales love acrobatic twirls
Humpback whales are active animals that are known for playing, communicating, and interacting with each another. They perform acrobatic loops, come out of water by poking their heads, and slap their tail around. The fun and frolic that these gigantic creatures engage in has made whale watching hugely popular among tourists in Hawaii.
Only the male whales sing
The male creatures are extremely vocal and can sing for more than 20 minutes. They sing the same song again and again!
Humpback whales have no teeth
Whales have no teeth and what you may have mistaken as teeth in pictures are the baleen plates. They act as filters and help separating the water from the petite krill they eat.
Humpback whales have unique breathing mechanisms
Unlike humans, who breathe voluntarily, humpback whales think about breathing. Breathing takes place through blowholes which are nostrils at the top of their head. While sleeping they keep one eye open and put half of their brain to rest!
The population of humpback whales are dwindling
It’s a sad plight that the current population of these stunning marine creatures stands at mere 40,000. The extensive practice of hunting them is responsible for wiping out their numbers to a great extent. Hunting humpback whales has been declared as illegal since a couple of decades back. The estimated current population of humpback whales is lower than 35% of the world’s original population.
Females are longer than their male counterparts
Female humpback whales measure 50 feet in length and are usually 10 feet longer than their male counterparts.
Humpback whales have solid nutrition intake twice a day
The huge mammals feed on 4,400 to 5,500 pounds of tiny marine creatures such as plankton, crustaceans, squids, and krill. Anchovies, cod, sardines, mackerel, capelin, and other fishes found in cold water also are a part of their regular diet, feeding on them twice a day.
Pregnancy lasts about a year
Pregnancy of an adult female is a long-term affair and lasts up to a year. The frequency at which a female gives birth is once every two or three years. After birth, each baby needs 100 gallons of the nutritious mother’s milk every day for survival.
Humpback whales don’t congregate together often
Humpback whales are known to be introverts by in nature. They usually travel in groups of three or four. These small groups are known as pod and comprise of the mother whale and children or a few communities of whale friends.
Orcas are the biggest predators of humpback whales
Orcas, the killer whales are the biggest enemies of humpback whales. They attack and prey on calves and younger mammals more frequently while also attacking the adult humpback whales leaving scars and drag marks on their tail. Orcas also target othe r marine animals such as seals, sea lions, and porpoises.
Still want to explore more about humpback whales Hawaii? Feel free to leave us a question in the comments section given below.
I had no idea that male humpback whales tend to make a lot of noise and will typically sing for over 20 minutes. My wife and I are interested in photographing some animals for an upcoming marine biology essay we’re writing together, but we’re worried that we may have trouble determining where whales typically spend their time. Maybe a whale watching tour could help us find some that we can take pictures of.