Humpbacks can grow to 60 feet (18 meters) long, and they can weigh a whopping 40 tons (about half the size of a blue whale), according to the NOAA. Their flippers can grow up to 16 feet (5 m) long , which is the largest appendage in the world. ... Like most whales, females are larger than males.
What do humpback whales do with their flippers?
Humpback whales use their flippers to create a barrier that traps gathered prey , which they can then usher towards their mouths by swatting the water.
Why do humpback whales have long flippers?
The fins are primarily used for manoeuvring and providing sudden bursts of acceleration . When a humpback lunges at a shoal of fish, the whale’s baleen, a large comb-like filter in its mouth, sieves the food from the inrush of water.
What is the function of a whales Flipper?
Flippers are used for different types of propulsion, control, and rotation . In cetaceans, they are primarily used for control while the fluke is used for propulsion.
Why do humpback whales slap their flippers?
Scientists suspect humpback whales are breaching and slapping their fins and flukes on the surface as a way of communicating . It is believed that all slapping creates sounds used to send messages to other whales, and the big splashes are for sending messages long-distances.
Can a whale survive without a dorsal fin?
In some whales (e.g. right whales and narwhals), the dorsal fin has disappeared altogether . In other species (e.g. blue and sperm whales), this fin is so small that it no longer really serves any purpose.
Are whale barnacles harmful?
Those patchy white spots you see on gray whales are barnacles. ... They don’t harm the whales or feed on the whales , like true parasites do. Barnacles don’t serve any obvious advantage to the whales, but they give helpful lice a place to hang onto the whale without getting washed away by water.
Can a humpback whale eat a human?
Whales, in general, are not capable of swallowing a human being and therefore will not eat you.
How many babies can a humpback whale have in a lifetime?
The mother goes on with her life and has another baby 2-4 years after her first one. Blue whales can produce about 10 or below babies in their lifetime! Instead of leaving the baby when it’s born like most animals, the mother stays by its side until she knows it can survive on its own.
How far does a whale swim in a day?
They have evolved to swim up to 40 miles a day , foraging for food and exercising. They dive 100 to 500 feet, several times a day, every day. Whether they’re born in the wild or in captivity, all orcas born have the same innate drive to swim far and dive deep.
What is the difference between flippers and fins?
Fins have no true bones or skeletal structure within and are composed primarily of cartilage. A flipper has a bone structure as well as cartilage, joints, and tendons .
What is a flipper on a dolphin?
The front limbs on a dolphin are called flippers. The bones inside the flippers are similar to the bones inside your arm and hand. Dolphins don’t have any hind limbs. The dolphin’s tail is called its flukes (each half is a fluke). ... The dolphin uses its flukes for swimming and its flippers for steering.
Why do orcas have a dorsal fin?
The Lowdown on Dorsal Fins
“(The dorsal fin) helps them slip through the water more efficiently . Similar to the ears of elephants or the tongues of dogs, dorsal, caudal and pectoral fins also help eliminate excess heat during intense activities such as hunting.”
Why do Orcas slap the water?
Whales slap their tails as a means of communication , to warn away predators or other males, and to impress a potential mate. ... Humpback whales will lobtail repeatedly. They will raise their tail back and forth many times to slap the water. In most cases, they will stop to take a breath before continuing.
Why do whales slap their fins against the water?
During the winter breeding season female Humpback use pectoral fin slapping as a way of flirting with and encouraging the attention of male Humpbacks . The female whales will lay on their sides lifting one pectoral fin and allowing it to fall to the surface creating a big sound and splash.
Why do porpoises slap their tails?
Tail slapping is pretty self-explanatory, dolphins slap their tails against the surface of the water in order to stun fish with the resulting shockwave . ... They can also make many plumes of mud to make a “mud net” that traps fish within them.
