Whale Facts

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Origins

Humpback whales have been on this planet for millions of years. Most authorities agree that modern-day whales and dolphins developed from land animals that lived around salt-water estuaries 55 million years ago.

Evidence today indicates that they may have shared genealogy with ungulates- the group of hoofed animal from which cows and deer came from.

Fossil evidence suggests that their slow transformation to marine life seems to have occurred around the ancient Mediterranean Sea and Asia Minor.

Appearance
The Humpback's official name is "Megaptera Novaeangliae". Megaptera is Latin for long winded referring to their overgrown flippers that may reach a third of their body length and Novaeangliae referring to the knobbles that are on its short broad snout, chin and sides of the lower jaw. All whales, dolphins and porpoises are known collectively as "Cetaceans" from the Latin word cetus meaning large sea animal and the Greek word ketos meaning sea monster.

The average length of a male (bull) is 13.7 metres (44.9 ft) and for a female (cow) is 12.9 metres (42.3ft), making them the fifth largest of the whale family. They can weigh as much as 45,000kg or the equivalent of 11 elephants.

The main colour of the Humpback is black with various sizes of white patches often on their abdomen, the undersurface of flippers and beneath the flukes. The colour patterns are uniquely individual.

Although they are found in all oceans they feed on different foods. The Antarctic Humpbacks feed on krill and have a life span of fifty years or more.

Mothers and Babies
Gestation takes 11 -12 months. Mating and birthing occurs in the warmer waters. A baby whale is called a calf, weighs an average of 1,500kg and has an average length of 3.5 metres at birth. A mother whale produces 600 litres of milk a day. A baby calf gains a weight of 45kg to 60kg a day.

Whaling
Although extinction of many whale species in the past was contributed to the inability to adapt to changes in environment, mans deliberate exploitation of whales became a more serious threat to certain species, notably the Humpback.

The early years of the great Antarctic whaling industry depended almost entirely on the humpback for several reasons. They were slow swimming 6-12 km/hr (11-21 knots), swam in communities, were less afraid and very approachable, more predictable in occurrence and close coastal swimmers. Humpbacks were taken on their migratory paths and were an easy prey for both the aborigines and modern commercial whalers.

During the 1960's with only 7% of their population remaining, the humpback were under serious threat of extinction. Commercial whaling ceased in Australian waters in 1963.

During the past three decades since the whaling industry demise, the humpback whale populations are increasing and the recovery rate looks more promising with each passing year. However, it is still uncertain if they will ever return in their former numbers as their place in the world's ecosystem has been taken by other aquatic animals dependant on krill such as the penguin and seals, who's population has flourished because of the whales demise from the whaling years.

Caring for Whales, Dolphins and the Oceans
The Oceania Project is a non-profit education and research organisation dedicated to raising awareness about Cetacea (Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises) and the Ocean Environment. The site provides up-to-date information about Whales and Dolphins and offers the means for you to directly participate in their care, protection and conservation. Using original photography from our Annual Humpback Whale Research Expeditions in Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia, we will share what we are learning about the Whales.