Every year, thousands of people get on a boat and try to see whales breaching the surface. San Diego whale watching tours are popular all year long. When you actually get the chance to see a whale, it is an experience like no other. You can impress all of the other vessel-goers by learning about the majestic humpback whale before your next whale watching excursion.
They Are Incredibly Intelligent
Whales in general are surprisingly smart. Humpbacks are among the smartest with each population of whales having its own whale song. While whales have to learn how to do this, they pick up on it quickly. Baby whales learn how to sing from other whales around them. However, only the male whales know how to sing.
They Eat Mostly Krill
While humpback whales are one of the largest animals in the ocean, they actually eat one of the smallest creatures. A humpback’s diet consists of mostly krill, which is a small aquatic animal comparable to shrimp. A single whale needs to consume nearly 1.5 tons of krill every day to survive. That amounts to a lot of krill.
They Travel the World
Depending on what time of year you go San Diego whale watching, you can expect to see some humpback whales in the ocean. However, you can see them around the globe. Their migration patterns take them throughout the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. People in New York and Massachusetts can also go whale watching if they want to see some humpbacks. They have even been spotted in the Arabian Sea.
There Are 40,000 Humpback Whales in the World
Rough estimates report that there are only about 40,000 humpback whales left in the world. Their population dwindled due to hunting. Fortunately, it is now illegal to hunt humpback whales although some countries still do so. While the population is much lower than it was centuries ago, hopefully the humpback whale will stick around for some time to come.
They Have a Long Pregnancy
A female humpback whale will remain pregnant for about a year before giving birth to live young. An adult female humpback whale will give birth to a single baby once every two to three years. Once the baby is born, it requires a lot of sustenance to survive. A single baby whale needs roughly 100 pounds of milk every single day.
They Do Not Travel in Big Groups
Humpback whales tend to be rather introverted. They do not travel in large packs. Instead, you will typically find a group of three or four whales traveling together in a group known as a pod. Most of the time, a pod will consist of a mother and her young as well as a few additional whale friends.
Whale watching is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you end up seeing some whales, then you will cherish those memories for the rest of your life. You do not want to miss out on it, and San Diego is a great spot to see some humpbacks. Book your next excursion today so that you can see majestic whales in their natural habitat.
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