Humpback Whales

Migration

Humpbacks, who migrate from the cold waters of the north to the tropical waters of the south, travel quite a bit.  While the humpbacks are in the north they discover amazing amounts of food to devour.  In the course of the year they spend four extremely long months traveling from North to South, and eight months of the year consuming food and giving birth.  Interestingly Humpbacks that live in the Pacific Ocean alternate migrating to Mexico and Hawaii to their birthing grounds.  Humpbacks return north.  When they head back north the babies have enough blubber to survive in the cold northern waters.  Humpbacks travel even more than military kids.

History

The humpback whale’s history is amazingly sad.  Sadly it seems humans only love whales after they are nearly gone.  When people throw trash in the water and near the shore they are killing humpbacks.  People also killed humpbacks intentionally.  They killed them for their meat and oil.  From the oil they produced soap.  The meat, which was used to make cat food, is another reason the whales were hunted.  Because the whales were hunted they are now commercialy extinct.  The whales have a tragic history.

 Family

Humpbacks live in family groups.  Male humpbacks sing sweet songs hoping to attract a female.  The couple will romp together.  After that, they nuzzle and sing gently to each other.  Mother and baby humpbacks are guarded by an escort.  Secretly, other humpbacks will trail behind the escort wanting him to leave so they can take over. The male escort, who is very aggressive, will protect the mother and babies if they are in danger.  When they are in danger the male will lash the attacker with his barnacle covered tail and sometimes draw blood.  These family groups protect each other in the large open waters.