North Pacific Humpback Whales 101

In the Kumulipo, the 2,000-line Hawaiian creation chant, palaoa (whales), are introduced in the 16th verse in the time of po (darkness). The whales helped to usher in the time of ao (light) when man was made. “Hanau ka palaoa noho i kai” (Born is the whale living in the ocean). The chant teaches that in Hawaiian culture, whales are part of both darkness and light, divine and physical.

When do they sleep, you ask? They do it while they’re on the road! Humpback whales have two blowholes, one for each lung, and their lungs are roughly the size of a midsize car. Unlike humans, whales need to think about breathing. This is why they sleep with one eye open and only rest half of their brains at a time. It’s a pretty handy skill, for sure.

Fun fact: Only the male humpbacks sing. They are not born with the ability to sing. Instead, they are taught to sing at a young age. Although the humpback whale song is one of the most widely recognized animal sounds, surprisingly little is known about its purpose. This is not due to lack of effort. Scientists have been studying different aspects of these songs for decades, leading them to develop theories about what might motivate a whale to sing. You would think that whales sing to attract mates. While that is a logical answer, several studies have been inconclusive as playbacks of these songs have often resulted in attracting more male whales.

Another theory is that when male singers join each other, it creates a type of mating display called a “lek.” Leks occur when multiple males display together, allowing females to choose the best from the group. With this in mind, reproductive females might be initially attracted to the lek by the broad signal of several chorusing males. Males benefit from conserving energy that would otherwise be spent searching for those females.

Whales may use the songs for a variety of reasons, but whatever the reason for the songs, we appreciate how important singing is to these fantastic animals.

Why do they do it? Is it to breathe? The answer is “no.” Whales come to the surface every 7-15 minutes for a breath, while the calves swim to the surface every 3-5 minutes.

Do they breach because it’s fun? Well, it certainly looks that way! But that’s not why they breach.

Do whales breach to communicate with each other? Yes, that’s the answer that scientists have reached. They suspect that humpback whales will breach and slap their fins and flukes on the surface as a way of communicating. We already know that whale songs are a form of communication, and it’s believed that the fin slapping is also used to send messages to other whales. The big splashes likely are for long-distance communication. The bigger the splash, the further the sound travels underwater.

The best way to see this “whale dance” is to be out on the water in a boat. You are closer to the action on a cruise, and you might even get wet! It’s best to let the professionals take you to the whales, as responsible whale-watching guides know how to keep a respectful distance from these magnificent creatures while ensuring that you get a great view.

Calves rely on their mothers for food and protection and are rarely seen far away from them. Moments after birth, the mother whale lifts her newborn to the surface for its first breath and starts providing it some nutritious milk. Typically, mammal babies like kittens and puppies nurse by drawing the milk out from their mother’s nipples. For whales, the force comes from the mother’s end. She uses specific muscles to push the milk into her baby’s mouth. This pushing action makes it possible for a baby whale to take in nourishment underwater.

Whale milk contains a lot of fat, as much as 35 to 50 percent fat. This high-fat content is vital to the survival of the calf. The fat will supply the baby whale with the energy it will need to move through the water alongside its mother continually. This fat will also help the calf to develop a thick layer of blubber that will keep it warm in the cold ocean waters.

When the winter breeding season is over, whale calves will accompany their mothers across the North Pacific to their winter feeding grounds. It is not until a year after their birth that the maternal bond is broken between the mother and juvenile whale.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t always good news. Before a 1966 moratorium on hunting humpback whales in the North Pacific, it is estimated that hunters killed over 30,000 whales. In 1973, humpback whales were listed as endangered.

Hawaii’s waters provide such an essential habitat for these whales that Congress designated the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary in 1992. The whales would be classified as endangered and protected by federal and state law. Luckily, one of the two most popular places for whales to congregate is in the waters of Maui County, the area between Maui, Lanai, Molokai, and Kaho’olawe. The other popular spot for the whales is to the southwest of Molokai. As their numbers continue to strengthen, they have made progress toward the other Hawaiian islands.

Humpbacks still face several threats, such as ship strikes and marine debris, which can lead to entanglement. Local fishing gear is becoming more of an issue, particularly when people put out moorings that are technically illegal. The whales sometimes get wrapped up in these, particularly the younger whales. The calves are very curious, and sometimes they may start to play with some of the gear or the floats. This type of entanglement could cause the whale to drown, and every year teams are called to the site of a trapped whale, where they patiently and carefully remove the lines.

If you spot any marine wildlife in distress, contact NOAA’s hotline at 888-256-9840.

The bottom line is that if you want to see these majestic creatures when you visit Hawaii in the winter, take a Maui whale-watching cruise. These are chartered by professionals who follow the regulations to keep these gentle giants swimming and playing in our waters for generations to come.