Humpback whales can easily be identified by their
stocky bodies with obvious humps and black dorsal
colouring. The head and lower jaw are covered with
knobs called tubercles, which are actually hair follicles
and are characteristic of the species. The tail flukes,
which are lifted high in some dive sequences, have wavy
trailing edges.There are four global populations, all being
studied. North Pacific, Atlantic, and southern ocean humpbacks
have distinct populations which make an annual migration.
One population in the Indian Ocean does not migrate.
The Indian Ocean has a northern coastline, while the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans do not, thereby preventing the humpbacks from
migrating to the pole.

The long black and white tail fin, which can be up to a third of
body length, and the pectoral fins have unique patterns,
which enable individual whales to be recognised.
Several suggestions have been made to explain the evolution of
the humpback's pectoral fins, which are proportionally the longest
fins of any cetacean. The two most enduring hypotheses are the higher
maneuverability afforded by long fins, or that the increased surface
area is useful for temperature control when migrating between warm and
cold climates. Humpbacks also have 'rete mirable' a heat exchanging system,
which works similarly to the same structured system in certain species
of sharks and other fish.

Facts