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Humpback whale
(Megaptera novaeangliae)
...this year, for the first time ever, some humpbacks have spent winter in California.
Humpback whales are a favourite for whale watchers, as they frequently perform aerial displays, such as breaching or slapping the surface with their pectoral fins, tails, or heads. They travel great distances during their seasonal migration, the farthest of any mammal. The longest recorded migration was 5,160 miles (8,300 km).
Size: Weight: 36,000kg Length: 18m
Lifespan: 50 years
Diet: Krill, plankton and small fish such as anchovies and sardines
Distribution: They're found in all major oceans from the equator to sub-polar latitudes.
Journey to Monterey Bay:
- They usually migrate here from their breeding grounds off Costa Rica and Mexico. But this year, for the first time ever, some humpbacks have spent winter in California.
You may not know...
- Only the male sings.
- Humpback whales frequently perform aerial displays, such as breaching or slapping the surface with their pectoral fins, tails, or heads.
