Humpbacks are renowned for their extraordinary and complex songs. These songs can last for hours and are specific to different populations.

Subspecies
None.

Life span
Up to 77 years

Statistics
Body length: 11.5m-15m, Weight: 25-30 tonnes.

Physical description
These whales are black or grey except for their long flippers (the longest of all cetaceans) and underside of flukes, which carry white patterns. They have a small dorsal fin located on a hump, and bumps on their head, jaw and flippers.

Distribution
Humpbacks have a worldwide distribution with two stocks in the north Atlantic Ocean and two stocks in the north Pacific ocean. The western north Atlantic holds the healthiest population of humpbacks.

Diet
Humpbacks are generalised feeders and are highly opportunistic and mobile. ninety five per cent of the diet of the North Atlantic humpbacks is made up of fish and feeding takes place in the summer. The baleen is made of keratin and is an adaptation for filter feeding.

Behaviour
Humpbacks live in groups of 2-5 individuals.

Reproduction
Breeding takes place in tropical waters in the winter, usually once every two years.

Conservation status
Humpback whales are classified as Vulnerable by the 2000 IUCN Red List. Global threats include hunting, human disturbance, habitat loss, prey depletion, pollution, entanglement in nets and collisions with vessels.

Notes
Humpbacks are very energetic and show spectacular breaching behaviour. Individuals can be identified from flipper markings, allowing them to be studied by scientists.