Further Information
Volunteer with Humpback Whales in Brazil

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), also known as black whales, belong to the family Balaenopteridae and are well known for their docile behaviour, many antics (jumps, head-up displays, pectoral fin slappings, etc) and for their very well-developed sound communication system.

Another striking characteristic of this species is the size of the pectoral fins, which are unusually long, reaching around one-third of total body length. Females are slightly larger than males and may reach 16 metres in length, weighing around 40 tons. While fleeing danger they may reach speeds of up to 27 kilometres per hour.

Humpbacks migrate seasonally between feeding grounds in high latitudes and breeding grounds located in tropical waters. In the western South Atlantic, the main breeding area for the species is off Bahia State in Brazil. Between July and November, these whales reach the warm, shallow and calm waters to mate and give birth to a single calf, which is born after a gestation period of about 11 months. Wanton slaughter has drastically reduced almost all whale populations of the planet. Humpbacks, which numbered 150,000 strong before commercial whaling began, may have only some 25,000 individuals remaining today in all oceans. They are on the Brazilian List of Endangered Species published by IBAMA (the National Environmental Authority).