If you’ve ever been on a whale-watching tour or seen humpback whales up close, you have probably been amazed by their majesty and size. Humpbacks can be found in several oceans of the world, but one of the best places to see them in their natural habitat is in the warm waters of the Hawaiian Islands where they migrate during the winter months for mating and calving.

Whale Watching & Humpbacks: 3 Fascinating Facts

1. Humpbacks Sing

During the mating season, male humpbacks produce “songs.” These detailed whale songs consist of themes that are sung in a loop, and each theme consists of phrases. Baby humpbacks are not born with the ability to sing; they learn from the others. A humpback’s song can be heard up to 20 miles away, and each song lasts up to 15 minutes. Whales have been known to repeat a song several times for hours, surfacing to breathe in between. Whale songs are still one of science’s mysteries.

2. Humpbacks Play

Humpbacks like to breach — jump out of the water — and perform acrobatics above the water, much to the delight of whale-watching tourists. Humpbacks also like to slap the water with their pectoral fins and tails. While biologists aren’t sure of the exact reasons whales do these things, it is believed these behaviors are probably their way of playing and communicating.

3. Humpbacks Weigh a Lot More Than Your Car

Humpbacks weight about 35 tons on average, and can weigh up to 40 tons. Most standard automobiles weigh about two tons. A humpback is 20 times heavier than your car! Females are typically longer than males, measuring up to 50 feet long. That’s longer than eight tall adult men if they laid head to foot in a line.

4. Humpbacks Have to Think to Breathe

Humpback whales have two lungs, with a blow hole for each lung. Each lung is about the size of a car. However, humpbacks don’t breathe involuntarily like humans and other mammals do. They must stay semi-conscious while sleeping to remember to breathe.

5. Humpbacks Have the Equivalent of a Fingerprint

A humpback whale has a white design on its underside that is like the fingerprint on a human — no two whales have the same one. Scientists use these marks to follow and identify different whales that are under observation.

Want to learn more about fascinating humpbacks and other sea animals? Book your next Hawaiian adventure with Dolphin Excursions Hawaii in Waianae. For information about booking a whale-watching tour and getting a glimpse of a humpback up close, visit their website or call (808) 239-5579.