Humpback Whale
Listen to Humpback Whale singing
[audio:http://petcaregt.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/humpback.mp3]
Humpback Whales are found in most of the world’s oceans, from the equator to the poles. Over 100,000 Humpbacks have been killed by whaling, reducing the world population to perhaps as few as 10,000.
Humpbacks are typically 28-50 feet (11.5-15 meters) long, and weigh 25-30 tons (25,400 - 30,480 kilograms) Humpbacks can be recognized by their long flippers and unique, wavy-edged fluked. In fact, like human fingerprints, no two Humpback flues are exactly the same. Scientists have been able to use flukes to identify and name thousands of individual Humpbacks all around the world.
Like Gray Whales, Humpbacks migrate many thousands of miles between warm equatorial waters and colder arctic (or antarctic waters). Also like Gray Whales, Humpbacks are energetic and playful, frequently breaching, lobtailing, or slapping their flippers on the ocean surface. They are creative hunters - sometimes, they blow curtains of underwater bubbles to herd fish into a certain spot for easy eating.
Did you know that Humpback Whales are famous for their singing? Male Humpback Whales sing songs composed of various chirping, moaning and rumling sounds, possibly to signal that they are ready for mating to begin. A Humpback song can cover about the same range of notes that are fund on a piano keyboard, and takes between 6 minutes and half an hour to complete. But Humpbacks don’t stop after just one song - their song sessions can last as long as 22 hours. Now that is a concert!