Marine mammal
Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
A huge baleen whale that passes the Eastern Cape on its annual migration, famous for breaching and its long white flippers.
Also known as humpback, humpback whales, whale, whales
- Typical size
- Adults ~13-16 m
- Habitat
- Coastal and offshore, on migration
- Depth
- Surface to deep dives
The humpback is a large baleen whale seen off the Eastern Cape mostly on migration, moving between cold southern feeding grounds and warm northern breeding waters. It is easily known by its very long, knobbly white flippers and its habit of breaching clear of the water.
Divers occasionally hear their song underwater or see them pass offshore. Once hunted to the edge of collapse, humpback numbers off southern Africa have recovered strongly, and they are now a regular seasonal sight.