Humpback Whale (Megaptera Novaeangliae)

The unique tail ... of a humpback whale!

Humpback whales are a species of baleen whale.  They are recognized by their odd form of head, which  is knobby.  Adults alone weigh 79000 pounds, while babies weigh about 2 short tons. Mating season occurs all year, with females having a gestation period of about  a year.  To let a female know about mating, a male whale will wail and sing continuously for a few hours. When whales are born, they are only as long as their mother's head, about 20 feet.

Humpback life expectancy is about 45-100 years. Once, in Inuit Alaska, a bowhead whale was found alive and thought to be 211 years old.  They live individually or in small groups containing maybe three  whales. Both male and female whales vocalize, but only the male can produce the rich song that makes the humpback famous.