From the "hump" before diving, the humpback whale has got its name...
Humpback whales are considered the most famous and best singers among whales. Male humpback whales sing during mating season to attract females. They intonate long and complex stanzas that vary by animal, age, and geographic region. Humpback whale songs can last over 20 minutes and can be heard over several hundred kilometers.
Humpback whales are usually black, with only the ventral side colored white. With age, barnacles form on the surface of the skin, but they do not harm the whales. Another body feature is the longitudinal furrows on the animals' throats.
Humpback whales grow up to 13 meters on average and reach a body weight of about 30 tons. They eat up to 1500 kg of krill (small crustaceans), small fish, squid and jellyfish per day. Humpback whales migrate several thousand kilometers twice a year from polar oceans, where they find plenty of food, to the tropics to have their young or mate.
They become sexually mature when they are about six years old and about 12 meters tall. The gestation period lasts 11-12 months. The newborn humpback whales are already 4.6 m long and 900 kg, heavy. Female humpback whales can give birth to one young about every three years.
Humpback whales usually live in small groups of 2 to 8 animals. However, they are also solitary animals. Humpback whales are good swimmers; they can reach speeds up to 27 km/h. However, on average they only cover two to five kilometers per hour. They are also very acrobatic.
From June to the end of September Puerto López is the best place in Ecuador to watch humpback whales! Our tours are the best way to experience these special animals up close.
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