Humpback
Whales
 Humpback
whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are baleen (toothless) whales
that filter feed tiny crustaceans (krill), plankton and small fish
from the water. An average sized humpback whale will eat about 3000
pounds (1350 kg) of food per day during the feeding season. Humpbacks
are migratory, breeding in the waters off Mexico and Hawaii and
migrating to the north Pacific in the summer to feed.
One of the most
interesting behavior traits of the humpback whales is their "singing"
ability. Researchers have found that they sing long, complex songs
of up to 10-20 minutes each. The songs appear to be part of a mating
ritual and are only sung by the males. The songs differ due to geographic
location, meaning that, for instance, members of the north Atlantic
population all sing the same song, while members of the north Pacific
population all sing a different song.
In the first
half of the 20th century, an estimated 28,000 humpback whales were
killed. A whaling ban was enacted in 1966, and global population
estimates are now at about 20,000 whales. An estimated 7,000 whales
inhabit the north Pacific. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) is conducting the largest ever research study
involving North Pacific humpback whales. The study will run through
the summer of 2007 and will look at many facets of the whale population
and outside factors that affect it, including human impacts. The
study is being conducted by a international team, comprised of researchers
from the U.S., Japan, Canada, Russia, Mexico, Philippines, Costa
Rica, Panama, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Humpback numbers have increased
dramatically in our area; we now see them often on many of our trips.
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