Humpback Whale

HUMPBACK WHALES

Megaptera novaeangliae

HOW DID THE HUMPBACK WHALE GET ITS NAME?

Megaptera novaeangliae BIG

WINGS ENGLAND

First identified as "baleine de la Nouvelle Angleterre"

by Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1756 HUMPBACKS ARE CHARACTERIZED

BY THEIR VERY LONG PECTORAL FINS WHICH MAY EXCEED 1/3rd OF THEIR BODY LENGTH.

NEW

THEY ARE CALLED “HUMPBACKS” BECAUSE THEIR DORSAL FIN SITS ON A “HUMP” AND THEY ARCH OR HUMP-UP WHEN THEY DIVE.

FEMALES = 56 FEET MALES = 50 FEET

Source: www.nmfs.noaa.g ov

(FEMALES ARE LARGER THAN MALES IN ALL MYSTICETES)

TUBERCLES: Humpbacks have tubercles, or large bumps, all over their rostrum and along the edges of their long pectoral flukes.

Head tubercles each contain a hair (they ARE mammals after all), and are thought to be sensory. Tubercles on the edge of the pectoral fins may play a role in making the flukes more hydrodynamic.

---5 0

–5

6 ft

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Artist: Uko Gorter, ACS Puget Sound

WHO’S RELATED TO WHOM ?

THE FAMILY TREE OF BALEEN WHALES NEXT

FAMILY TREE of BALEEN WHALES

WHERE ARE HUMPBACKS FOUND IN THE WORLD ?

Most baleen whales migrate annually.

POLAR = SUMMER FEEDING SUBTROPIC = WINTER BREEDING

SPLASH: Structure of Populations, Levels of Abundance and Status of Humpback Whales (in the North Pacific).

Cost a Rica

Revillagigedos (offshore Mexico)

http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/science/pdfs/splashinfosheet.pdf

INDIVIDUAL WHALE IDENTIFICATION THROUGH TAIL PHOTOGRAPHY

http://cascadiaresearch.org/SPLASH/SPLASHEducation/activity5_questions.html

JOHN CALAMBOKIDIS – CASCADIA RESEARCH COLLECTIVE

JOHN CALAMBOKIDIS – CASCADIA RESEARCH COLLECTIVE

JOHN CALAMBOKIDIS – CASCADIA RESEARCH COLLECTIVE

SUCTION CUP TAGS DO NOT PENETRATE THE SKIN OR CAUSE INFECTIONS

READY TO TAG A HUMPBACK WITH SUCTION CUP TAGS

Foraging behavior of humpback whales: kinematic and respiratory patterns suggest a high cost for a lunge.

Jeremy A. Goldbogen, John Calambokidis, Donald A. Croll, James T. Harvey, Kelly M. Newton, Erin M. Oleson, Greg Schorr and Robert E. Shadwick

Fig. 5. Dive profiles and vertical distribution of prey. (A) Dive profiles (yellow line) and lunges (green circles) are superimposed onto preyfield maps generated from echosounder data which show increasing density of zooplankton (red, highest; blue, medium; white, lowest)

HUMPBACK WHALES AND

IN OUR WATERS, HUMPBACKS FEED ON BAIT FISH LIKE THESE NORTHERN ANCHOVIES (Engraulis

Length = max 23cm (9�)

Image: http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu

Engraulis mordax Anchovies are small baitfish that supply supper for many other animals and are an important part of the open ocean food web. They feed on microscopic morsels and then make a meal for passing fishes, marine mammals and seabirds.

To avoid hungry predators, anchovies swim in schools of thousands.

With all those moving targets, it’s hard for a predator to focus on just Source: one. http://www.montereybayaquarium.org

Engraulis mordax forms large schools as protection against predators.

TWO HUMPBACKS FEEDING ON NORTHERN ANCHOVIES (Engraulis mordax)

TWO HUMPBACKS FEEDING ON NORTHERN ANCHOVIES (Engraulis mordax)

baleen anchovie s pelican

IN OUR WATERS, HUMPBACKS ALSO FEED ON KRILL ESPECIALLY Thysanoessa spinifera

Length ~ 3cm

Thysanoessa spinifera Phulum Arthropoda Euphausiidae

Class Crustacea

Order Decapoda

Family

They live in vast schools as macroplankton or micronekton.

A RED PATCH OF KRILL ON THE

CLOSER LOOK AT A KRILL PATCH.

A HUMPBACK LUNGES JUST BENEATH THE SURFACE AND SENDS KRILL

HUMPBACKS EMERGE FROM BENEATH AND ENGULF THE WHOLE KRILL PATCH.

baleen

krill

ventral groove s

A CLOSER LOOK INSIDE THE GAPING MOUTH OF A LUNGE FEEDING HUMPBACK WHALE

THE MOUTH CLOSES AND EJECTS THE WATER

BUBBLE NET FEEDING (IN ALASKA)

Image: http://neutronsforbreakfast.wordpress.com

CLICK ON THIS LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJvfjiCTvq4

Figura 2. Esquema del comportamiento en la formación de una cortina simple y recta de burbujas, y de las conductas de alimentación de embestida vertical, lateral y filtración sub-superficial observadas en ballenas jorobadas en el Archipiélago

Revista de Biología Marina y Oceanografía Vol. 46, Nº3: 483-490, diciembre de 2011 Research Note

OTHER UNUSUAL HUMPBACK

“PEC-SLAP”: SLAPPING THE PECTORAL FLUKE

LOB TAILING OR TAIL THROWING

HUMPBACKS LOVE GIANT KELP (Macrocystis)

WHY DO HUMPBACKS PLAY WITH KELP?

ONE HYPOTHESIS IS THAT HUMPBACKS HAVE NO HANDS OR FINGERS SO THEY USE KELP TO REMOVE SURFACE PARASITES AND “SCRATCH” THEIR “ITCH.”

ANOTHER HYPOTHESIS IS THAT THEIR SKIN IS VERY SENSITIVE AND LETTING THE KELP STIPES RUN ACROSS THEIR SKIN FEELS GOOD.

FINALLY, IT COULD JUST AS WELL BE THAT HUMPBACKS LIKE TO PLAY AROUND AND ARE HAVING A LOT OF FUN WITH THE DRIFTING KELP PADDIES.

BREACHING

BREACHING, PECTORAL FIN SLAPPING, AND TAIL THROWING ARE BEHAVIORS THOUGHT TO MAKE A LOT OF NOISE AND ARE A

HUMPBACKS ARE ALSO KNOWN FOR…

THE “FRIENDL Y APPROAC H”

HUMPBACKS ARE OFTEN DISTRIBUTED IN THE COMMERCIAL SHIPPING LANES. (A MAP SHOWING LOCATION OF THIS PHOTO IS ON THE NEXT PAGE -->)

LOCATION OF HUMPBACK WHALES IN COMMERCIAL SHIPPING LANES:

WHALES IN THE SHIPPING LANES ARE VULNERABLE TO SHIP STRIKES,

PROPELL OR SCARS AND INTERNAL INJURIES

HUMPBACKS ARE KNOWN AS THE “SINGING WHALES” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo2bVbDtiX8

SOURCE: John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research http://sanctuarysimon.org/projects/project_info.php? projectID=100152

Population trends in the feeding aggregation of humpback whales that extends from southern California to central Washington

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP THE HUMPBACKS?

1-Help prevent ship strikes:

2-Keep their environment clean: Keep their environment clean by carefully disposing of any rubbish in appropriate receptacle, plastic waste can be particularly hazardous when discarded near waterways or beaches.

http://www.equilibrioinformativo.com/2011/02/16/piratas-por-la-vida/

3- Support sanctions against commercial whaling.

4- Help prevent entanglements: conservationists and government agencies are working to prevent entanglements through modifying gear and closing some areas to fishing when whales are present, there are a number of whales entangled

GO WATCH SOME HUMPBACK WHALES !

Cheerio, toodlepip, tahtah !