General Description
Body grey-black above with extensive white on lower part of the body, occasionally extending to dorsal surface. Small dorsal fin with curved edge. Flippers on side of body have white underneath and lumps on the front edge. Tail dark on top; white underneath. Water vapour spray from blowhole is a single bushy jet less than 5 m high. Adults can grow up to 18 m long.
Biology
Humpback Whales migrate to warmer Australian waters in Hervey Bay and the Great Barrier Reef to breed in winter months. They feed on plankton.
Distribution
Worldwide. A winter migrant in marine areas of Australia.
Habitat
Open oceans and near coastlines.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Whale with grey-black body and a curved dorsal fin The tail is white underneath. Produces a vertical jet as water spray.
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Maximum Size
18 m
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Habitats
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Diet
Plankton or Particles
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Endemicity
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Commercial
No
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Trade restrictions (Appendix I), FFG Threatened List: Not listed, EPBC Act 1999: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Least Concern
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Depths
Shallow (1-30 m), Deep ( > 30 m)
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Water Column Locations
Surface, Midwater
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Taxon Name
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Scientific Author
Borowski, 1781
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Common Name
Humpback Whale
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Kingdom
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Class
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Order
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Suborder
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
novaeangliae
