humpbacks
Singing ocean giants
Humpbacks are humpback whales—large baleen whales known for their long pectoral fins, knobbed heads, and elaborate songs.
The name comes from the arched appearance of their backs when diving.
We spotted humpbacks breaching off the coast.
The term can also refer to humpbacked individuals or things, though this use is uncommon.
Whale's filtering bristles
- blowholeWhale's breathing aperture
- flukesParasitic flatworms or lucky accidents
- flippersFoot-worn swim aids
- dorsal finFish's rear stabilizer
tubercles · tail · pectoral fins · rostrum · peduncle · blubber · cetacean · mammal
Sites where species reproduce
- calvingIce mass separation
- seasonalRecurring at fixed intervals
- routePath from A to B
- trackingMonitoring location over time
wintering · summering · Hawaii · Alaska · Tonga · Mexico · Antarctica · krill
At risk of extinction
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- whalingHunting large sea mammals
- protectionGuarding against harm
sanctuary · population · moratorium · entanglement · ecotourism · whale watching · research
Breaking through something
Producing sounds with voice
- whale songCetacean acoustic communication
- acousticsStudy of sound transmission
- frequencyRate of recurrence
- mating callSpecies-specific courtship signal
hydrophone · recording · haunting · low frequency · communication · repertoire
baleen
Whale's filtering bristles
- blowholeWhale's breathing aperture
- flukesParasitic flatworms or lucky accidents
- flippersFoot-worn swim aids
dorsal fin · tubercles · tail · pectoral fins · rostrum · peduncle · blubber · cetacean · mammal
breeding grounds
Sites where species reproduce
tracking · wintering · summering · Hawaii · Alaska · Tonga · Mexico · Antarctica · krill · navigation
endangered
At risk of extinction
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- whalingHunting large sea mammals
protection · sanctuary · population · moratorium · entanglement · ecotourism · whale watching · research
breaching
Breaking through something
vocalization
Producing sounds with voice
- whale songCetacean acoustic communication
- acousticsStudy of sound transmission
- frequencyRate of recurrence
mating call · hydrophone · recording · haunting · low frequency · communication · repertoire
- marine mammalsdolphin, whales, whale, dolphins, porpoise
- whale conservationwhaling ban, moratorium, marine sanctuaries, protected species, whale watching
- coastal seasNorth Sea, Baltic Sea, English Channel, Bay of Biscay, Bay of Fundy
- Tropical SeasCaribbean Sea, Coral Sea, Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, South China Sea
- Whalingharpoon gun, harpoon guns, flensing, whaling ships, whaling station
humpbacksorcas
Large predatory dolphins
killer whales · great white sharks · apex predators · dolphins · porpoises
- humpback whaleLarge singing baleen cetacean
- humpback bridgeSharply arched small bridge