Swim with humpback whales in Moʻorea, September 2027 · from CHF 4,500See the trip →
Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Animals

Whales

Humpback whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpbacks travel thousands of kilometres each year to breed and feed. If we are lucky, we may hear a blow or glimpse a breach.

Least ConcernIn 87 Atlas countries

Least Concern (IUCN, 2018) means it is not at high risk of extinction worldwide today. The Arabian Sea and Oceania populations are Endangered.

Humpback whale swimming close with long pectoral fin
Photo: Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash
Humpback whale rising toward the surface in blue water
Photo: Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash
Humpback whale in the South Pacific, flippers spread
Photo: Gerald Schömbs on Unsplash
Humpback whale mother and calf swimming together
Photo: Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash
Juvenile humpback whale swimming in light rays
Photo: Oliver Tsappis on Unsplash
Humpback whale mother with calf in blue water
Photo: Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash
Humpback whale breaching with both flippers raised
Photo: Todd Cravens on Unsplash
Humpback whale breaching the ocean surface
Photo: Todd Cravens on Unsplash

Photos show the species, not always the places on this page.

Length

Usually 15 to 17 m (49 to 56 ft); up to about 18.3 m (60 ft)

Weight

Usually 30 to 34 tonnes (66,000 to 75,000 lb); up to about 36 tonnes (79,000 lb)

Next to a person

About 9 to 10 adults lying head to toe

What it eats

Krill and small schooling fish, strained through baleen.

Around people

Calm, give space

How it lives

Humpbacks filter krill and small fish from the water with several feeding methods. In some populations they trap prey inside rings of bubbles, known as bubble-net feeding. On the breeding grounds, males sing long, complex songs that change over time. Mothers and calves call to each other quietly, and calves spend about 21% of their time suckling.

Where it goes

Many humpbacks make one of the longest migrations of any mammal, travelling up to about 8,000 km (5,000 miles) between cold feeding waters and warm breeding waters. Routes and distances differ between populations, and Arabian Sea humpbacks do not make this classic polar migration.

Populations

Humpbacks are Least Concern worldwide, but populations differ a lot: the Arabian Sea and Oceania subpopulations are Endangered, and some other populations are still at risk. Bubble-net feeding usually happens on high-latitude feeding grounds, such as Norway and Alaska, not at breeding grounds like Moʻorea or Tonga. In the South Pacific, songs spread from one population to the next like a cultural wave, from Tonga to the Cook Islands to Moʻorea.

Meet it respectfully

We keep local legal distances and never chase or block a whale, separate a mother and calf, or place swimmers in front of travelling or feeding whales. Breeding and calving grounds need extra care, and a whale that chooses to come close is still our responsibility. Rules differ a lot by place: in Queensland and Commonwealth waters in Australia, boats must stay at least 100 m away (300 m from a calf) and swimmers must not approach within 100 m, and around Hawaiʻi US law keeps people at least 100 yards (91 m) away with no swimming. A startled whale's tail can endanger small boats.

Fun fact

Tap the bulb to light it up.

Where it goes

Follow its journey

Choose a journey and watch it travel. Every line comes from satellite tracking or documented research, and the source is named.

StartEndJourney (the line joins documented areas; real paths vary)

Where you may meet it

Humpback whale in the Ocean Atlas

Places we have researched where this animal is recorded. It is never guaranteed, and some places are for watching from the boat only.

FijiTanzaniaW. SaharaCanadaUnited States of AmericaKazakhstanUzbekistanPapua New GuineaIndonesiaArgentinaChileDem. Rep. CongoSomaliaKenyaSudanChadHaitiDominican Rep.RussiaBahamasFalkland Is.NorwayGreenlandFr. S. Antarctic LandsTimor-LesteSouth AfricaLesothoMexicoUruguayBrazilBoliviaPeruColombiaPanamaCosta RicaNicaraguaHondurasEl SalvadorGuatemalaBelizeVenezuelaGuyanaSurinameFranceEcuadorPuerto RicoJamaicaCubaZimbabweBotswanaNamibiaSenegalMaliMauritaniaBeninNigerNigeriaCameroonTogoGhanaCôte d'IvoireGuineaGuinea-BissauLiberiaSierra LeoneBurkina FasoCentral African Rep.CongoGabonEq. GuineaZambiaMalawiMozambiqueeSwatiniAngolaBurundiIsraelLebanonMadagascarPalestineGambiaTunisiaAlgeriaJordanUnited Arab EmiratesQatarKuwaitIraqOmanVanuatuCambodiaThailandLaosMyanmarVietnamNorth KoreaSouth KoreaMongoliaIndiaBangladeshBhutanNepalPakistanAfghanistanTajikistanKyrgyzstanTurkmenistanIranSyriaArmeniaSwedenBelarusUkrainePolandAustriaHungaryMoldovaRomaniaLithuaniaLatviaEstoniaGermanyBulgariaGreeceTurkeyAlbaniaCroatiaSwitzerlandLuxembourgBelgiumNetherlandsPortugalSpainIrelandNew CaledoniaSolomon Is.New ZealandAustraliaSri LankaChinaTaiwanItalyDenmarkUnited KingdomIcelandAzerbaijanGeorgiaPhilippinesMalaysiaBruneiSloveniaFinlandSlovakiaCzechiaEritreaJapanParaguayYemenSaudi ArabiaN. CyprusCyprusMoroccoEgyptLibyaEthiopiaDjiboutiSomalilandUgandaRwandaBosnia and Herz.MacedoniaSerbiaMontenegroKosovoTrinidad and TobagoS. SudanBaird Bay and Eyre Peninsula, AustraliaBarunguba and Narooma, AustraliaBremer Bay, AustraliaCairns, Port Douglas and the Ribbon Reefs, AustraliaChristmas Island, AustraliaCocos (Keeling) Islands, AustraliaLady Elliot Island, AustraliaLord Howe Island, AustraliaNingaloo, AustraliaRowley Shoals, AustraliaTasman Peninsula and Eaglehawk Neck, AustraliaMaria Island and the east coast, AustraliaChiloé and the Gulf of Corcovado, ChileFrancisco Coloane, Strait of Magellan, ChilePunta de Choros and the Humboldt Archipelago, ChileRapa Nui, ChileRobinson Crusoe Island (Juan Fernández), ChileAnjouan, ComorosGrande Comore, ComorosMohéli, ComorosAitutaki, Cook IslandsRarotonga, Cook IslandsBayahibe and the south coast, Dominican RepublicGalápagos, EcuadorMoʻorea, French PolynesiaRurutu, French PolynesiaOkinawa, JapanIfaty and Mangily, MadagascarNosy Be, MadagascarÎle Sainte-Marie, MadagascarLa Ventana, MexicoGuadalupe Island, MexicoTofo, MozambiqueNiue, NiueSkjervøy and Kvænangen, NorwayRéunion, RéunionAliwal Shoal and Umkomaas, South AfricaCape Town and Hermanus, South AfricaSodwana Bay, South AfricaMafia Island, TanzaniaMikindani and Mnazi Bay, TanzaniaZanzibar - Matemwe, Mnemba and Chumbe, TanzaniaVava'u and Ha'apai, TongaFlorida Keys (Key Largo), United StatesLa Jolla and the Channel Islands, United StatesMaui, United StatesOʻahu, United StatesSan Diego and La Jolla, United StatesJuneau and Southeast Alaska, United StatesGlacier Bay, United StatesSeward and Kenai Fjords, United StatesSanta Catalina and Coiba, PanamaGulf of Chiriquí, PanamaPearl Islands, PanamaIsla Iguana and Isla Cañas, PanamaBocas del Toro and Bastimentos, PanamaGuna Yala, PanamaFernando de Noronha, BrazilAbrolhos, BrazilPraia do Forte, BrazilSanta Catarina whale coast, BrazilBonito, BrazilKaikōura, New ZealandPoor Knights Islands, New ZealandBay of Islands, New ZealandHauraki Gulf, New ZealandAkaroa and Banks Peninsula, New ZealandSilfra, Þingvellir, IcelandHúsavík and Skjálfandi Bay, IcelandSnæfellsnes and Grundarfjörður, IcelandReykjavík and Faxaflói, IcelandWestfjords, IcelandTamarin and Flic en Flac, MauritiusBlue Bay and Mahébourg, MauritiusBelle Mare, MauritiusRodrigues, MauritiusLagos coast and Lekki, NigeriaBadagry coast, NigeriaWatamu, KenyaDiani, KenyaShimoni and Kisite, KenyaWestpunt, CuraçaoWillemstad and the central coast, CuraçaoCuraçao Marine Park (southeast coast), CuraçaoKlein Curaçao, CuraçaoLos Cóbanos, El SalvadorJiquilisco Bay, El SalvadorCorn Islands, NicaraguaSan Juan del Sur and La Flor, NicaraguaChacocente, NicaraguaGrand Turk, Turks and Caicos IslandsSalt Cay, Turks and Caicos IslandsProvidenciales and Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos IslandsWest Caicos and French Cay, Turks and Caicos IslandsSalt Island and the RMS Rhone, British Virgin IslandsNorman Island and the Indians, British Virgin IslandsVirgin Gorda, British Virgin IslandsAnegada and Horseshoe Reef, British Virgin IslandsCades Reef and the southwest coast, Antigua and BarbudaEnglish Harbour and Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua and BarbudaBarbuda and Codrington Lagoon, Antigua and BarbudaSoufrière and the Pitons, Saint LuciaAnse Chastanet, Saint LuciaWest coast deep water, Saint LuciaGrande Anse, Saint LuciaIlulissat and Disko Bay, GreenlandNuuk Fjord, GreenlandTasiilaq, East Greenland, GreenlandWest Cork coast, IrelandDingle Peninsula and Blasket Islands, IrelandShannon Estuary and Loop Head, IrelandInner Hebrides (Coll, Tiree and Mull), United KingdomMoray Firth and Chanonry Point, United KingdomOrkney and Scapa Flow, United KingdomFarne Islands, United KingdomLundy, United KingdomSolovetsky Islands, White Sea, RussiaKandalaksha Gulf, White Sea, RussiaCommander Islands, RussiaPiltun, northeast Sakhalin, RussiaPond Inlet and the Nunavut floe edge, CanadaDigby Neck and Brier Island, CanadaSable Island, CanadaKarachi turtle beaches (Hawksbay and Sandspit), PakistanChurna Island, PakistanAstola Island, PakistanDaran Beach, Jiwani, PakistanSal, Cabo VerdeBoa Vista, Cabo VerdeMáncora, Los Órganos and Cabo Blanco, PeruPunta Sal and the Tumbes coast, PeruParacas and the Ballestas Islands, PeruMalpelo, ColombiaGorgona, ColombiaNuquí, Bahía Solano and Utría, ColombiaProvidencia and Santa Catalina, ColombiaSan Andrés, ColombiaDrake and Caño, Costa RicaQuepos and Golfo Dulce, Costa RicaCôte des Arcadins, HaitiÎle-à-Vache, HaitiThree Bays Protected Area, HaitiBourail, Poé and Déva, New CaledoniaNouméa and the Great Southern Lagoon, New CaledoniaPoindimié and Hienghène, New CaledoniaÎle des Pins (Kunié), New CaledoniaDhofar and the Hallaniyat Islands, OmanMusandam and Khasab, OmanMuscat and the Daymaniyat Islands, OmanUpolu and Savaiʻi, SamoaLomé to Aného coast, TogoBouche du Roy and Grand-Popo, BeninCarlisle Bay, BarbadosFolkestone Marine Park, BarbadosWest coast nesting beaches, BarbadosLevera, GrenadaMolinière Bay, GrenadaCarriacou, GrenadaTobago Cays, Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesUnion Island, Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesFrench coast of Saint Martin, Saint MartinMan of War Shoal Marine Park, Sint MaartenLittle Bay and Shoal Bay, AnguillaLittle Bay and the west coast, MontserratSt John and the national park, US Virgin IslandsSouthern lagoon and Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling) IslandsPulu Keeling (North Keeling), Cocos (Keeling) IslandsFaial and Horta, PortugalMadeira, PortugalPico (Madalena and Lajes), PortugalPrincess Alice Bank, PortugalWalvis Bay and Swakopmund, NamibiaKadavu and the Great Astrolabe Reef, FijiPacific Harbour and Beqa Lagoon, FijiSavusavu and Vanua Levu, FijiTaveuni and Viani Bay, FijiYasawa and Drawaqa Manta Channel, FijiLa Digue, SeychellesMahé, SeychellesPraslin and Curieuse, SeychellesAntarctic Peninsula, AntarcticaSouth Shetland Islands, AntarcticaSouth Georgia, AntarcticaWadden Sea, NetherlandsZeeland coast, NetherlandsPuerto Madryn and Punta Loma, ArgentinaPenínsula Valdés and Puerto Pirámides, ArgentinaCoron, Palawan, PhilippinesMoalboal, Cebu, PhilippinesPanglao and Balicasag, Bohol, PhilippinesSiquijor, PhilippinesApo Island and Dauin, PhilippinesApo Reef, PhilippinesBoracay, PhilippinesEl Nido and Bacuit Bay, PhilippinesPort Barton and San Vicente, PhilippinesTubbataha Reefs, PhilippinesAjaccio and the Gulf of Ajaccio, FranceBonifacio, Porto-Vecchio and the Lavezzi Islands, FranceMarseille, the Calanques and Cassis, FrancePort-Cros, Porquerolles and Hyères, FranceVillefranche-sur-Mer and Nice, FranceSaipan, Northern Mariana IslandsSouthern Bioko beaches, Equatorial GuineaWuzhizhou Island, Sanya, ChinaSanya coral coast, ChinaXiamen Bay, ChinaAwala Yalimapo and the Amana reserve, French GuianaLittle Belt, DenmarkOresund near Helsingor, DenmarkKosterhavet National Park, SwedenGullmar fjord and Lysekil, SwedenStockholm archipelago, SwedenKullaberg, SwedenCabo de Palos and Cartagena, SpainEl Hierro and La Restinga, SpainFormentera, SpainFuerteventura, SpainGran Canaria, SpainIbiza, SpainJávea (Xàbia), SpainL'Estartit and the Medes Islands, SpainLa Herradura and Costa Tropical, SpainLa Palma, SpainLanzarote, SpainMallorca, SpainMenorca, SpainMálaga and the Costa del Sol, SpainTabarca and Alicante, SpainTarifa and the Strait of Gibraltar, SpainTenerife, SpainTorshavn and Sandagerdi, Faroe IslandsHeligoland, GermanyKreidesee Hemmoor, GermanyRuegen and the Baltic coast, GermanyBimini, The BahamasAndros, The BahamasExuma Cays, The BahamasEleuthera, The BahamasSea Lion Island, Falkland IslandsCabo Polonio, UruguayIsla de Lobos, UruguayDominica, DominicaSpeyside and Little Tobago, Trinidad and TobagoBuccoo Reef, Trinidad and TobagoTurtle Beach, Tobago, Trinidad and TobagoGrande Riviere, Trinidad, Trinidad and TobagoJardines de la Reina, CubaMaria la Gorda and Guanahacabibes, CubaXiaoliuqiu, TaiwanHualien, TaiwanCap Blanc peninsula, Western SaharaAmed, Bali, IndonesiaGili Trawangan, IndonesiaKomodo, IndonesiaGili Air, IndonesiaMaratua and Derawan, IndonesiaRaja Ampat, IndonesiaNusa Penida, IndonesiaLovina, Bali, IndonesiaKribi and Ebodje coast, CameroonDouala-Edea coast, CameroonJames Bay and the island marine park, Saint HelenaSaloum Delta, Senegal

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AnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaAustraliaThe BahamasBarbadosBeninBrazilBritish Virgin IslandsCabo VerdeCameroonCanadaChileChinaCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombiaComorosCook IslandsCosta RicaCubaCuraçaoDenmarkDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaGermanyGreenlandGrenadaHaitiIcelandIndonesiaIrelandJapanKenyaMadagascarMauritiusMexicoMontserratMozambiqueNamibiaNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNiueNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPanamaPeruPhilippinesPortugalRéunionRussiaSaint HelenaSaint LuciaSaint MartinSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSenegalSeychellesSint MaartenSouth AfricaSpainSwedenTaiwanTanzaniaTogoTongaTrinidad and TobagoTurks and Caicos IslandsUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUS Virgin IslandsWestern Sahara

Read more about the humpback whale

Whales and wildlife ethicsWhales Help Us Breathe: The Whale Pump, ExplainedRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsOkinawa’s Humpbacks: A Code Is Not the Same as a LawRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsWhy Ocean Calling Does Not Offer Whale Swims in MauritiusRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsIn Brazil, Intentionally Disturbing a Whale Is ProhibitedRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsRurutu: A Different Humpback Island in French PolynesiaRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsOkinawa Humpbacks: A Code Is Not the Same as a LawRead ↗Responsible travel and conservationWhen Whale Tourism Rules Are Still Taking Shape, We WaitRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsNew Caledonia’s Lagoon: Humpbacks, Dugongs and PatienceRead ↗
Sources for this page

Facts checked 26 September 2026. Photos: Unsplash licence, or Creative Commons as shown on each photo.

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