Humpback Whale

By: MP

Name of my animal is the Humpback Whale The scientific name is Megaptera NovaeangliaeIt’s a baleen whaleIt’s in the whale familyIt’s a Mammal

HairA blackish gray kind of color62 feet long106,000 poundsAnd has two blowholesThey have a fluke which is the tailTwo flippersEyes on the side of their headCan’t see ears, they are slitsThe fluke is different on every whale

An average Humpback whale lives for…

45-50 yearsEndangered Get captured in fishing

nets10,000-15,000 humpback

whales world wide

Live everywhere except for AntarcticaDo not live in arctic because it is too coldLive in salt waterThey don’t like to go too close to land

CLIMATE

Do not like freezing waterSwim south in winterUsually stays in warm/cool watersLives in salt water

LANDFORMLives in open oceanDon’t like to swim near trenches

FOOD

CarnivoreEat krill and planktonGet their food by shooting

their heads out of the water to collect krill

Get a huge mouthful of krill when they open their mouth

PREDATORS AND PREY

Predator is humanHumpbacks are endangered because they get trapped in fishing nets a lot

Its prey is tiny krill that live at the surface of the oceanThey take big mouthfuls to collect the krillPlankton

BABIES

Called cavesGrows 1.5 feet every monthNo blubberDarker color then its parentsDark grey colorFeed on mothers milk

PHYSICAL ADAPTATIONS

Two blowholes on top of its head to help it breathBig mouth to capture krillLongest fluke of any whale to help it swim fastLong, bumpy fins to help it maneuver in the ocean

PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONSBlubber helps it float and keeps it warmBaleen plates are bones used to strain food inside a humpbacks bodyNo blubber in babies so they have to work harder to swim

BEHAVIORAL ADAPTATIONS

Echolocation helps them find preyHump on its back to help it breach the waterSing songs to attract femalesDive in water to catch preyDo not mind being watched –they aren’t shy.

Sing songs to attract females

10,000 left in the world

Biggest fins of any whale

The bottom of a humpback whales fluke is always different