Humpback whale

Humpback whales are one of the most energetic of the larger whales. They are quite active animals and are regularly observed breaching, lob-tailing and slapping their long pectoral fins on the surface. They are renowned for their elegant complex songs, which are sung by the males during courtship. These songs have been studied intensely and have been found to vary a little year upon year. When they feed, they sometimes feed as a group by using a method called ‘bubble netting’. Here a group of whales create a curtain of bubbles around a group of krill or small fish and trap them inside. Whales will then swim up through the ring of bubbles with mouths open, catching everything in their path.