Humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
- Scientific name
- Megaptera novaeangliae
- Group
- Marine mammals
- Rarity
- Legendary
- Where to see it
- Caribbean & Tropical Atlantic, Indo-Pacific & Red Sea
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Least concern
Did you know?
The humpback whale is famous for its complex songs, audible for tens of kilometers, which evolve year to year within a given population. Its long pectoral fins, which can reach a third of its body length, are the largest of any animal on Earth.
What defines this group — Marine mammals
Warm-blooded, they nurse their young and breathe air — the group closest to us underwater.
- They breathe through a blowhole (whales, dolphins) or nostrils (seals, sea lions).
- A thick layer of blubber, rather than fur, insulates them from the cold.
- Many navigate and hunt by sound, using echolocation.