Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a medium‑large rorqual famed for itsvery long pectoral fins (up to one‑third of body length) and spectacular breaches. A baleen whale inBalaenopteridae, it feeds mainly on schooling fishes and krill, often using bubble‑net feeding and other cooperative tactics. IUCN global status: Least Concern (LC) (some subpopulations have higher risk categories).
Basics
Scientific name: Megaptera novaeangliae
Length: ~12–16 m (females slightly larger)
Mass: ~25–40 t
Ecology & Behaviour
Feeds intensively at high‑latitude productive grounds in summer and migrates to tropical/subtropical breeding grounds in winter, often travelling thousands of kilometres. Males sing complex, evolving songs during the breeding season. Behaviours include breaching, tail‑ and flipper‑slapping.
Identification
Robust body; very long, knob‑studded flippers; small, variably shaped dorsal fin set far back; deeply notched tail flukes with individual black‑white patterns used for photo‑ID; tubercles on the head and jaw with bristles.
Threats & Conservation
Entanglement & ship strikes in fixed gear and busy shipping lanes.
Noise from vessels and seismic surveys affecting communication/foraging.
Legacy whaling & climate variability—heterogeneous recovery, shifting prey and migration corridors.
Measures: speed and routing in hotspots, ropeless/weak‑link gear trials, quiet‑ship programs, protection of breeding/feeding areas, and long‑term photo‑ID monitoring.
