Humpback Whale
Humpback WhaleHumpback WhaleHumpback WhaleHumpback Whale

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

Silhouette: Chris huh · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Great Bear Rainforest
698 Verified sightings at Great Bear Rainforest From 2019 to 2026
1,010 Verified sightings across all 44 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Humpback Whale

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus Megaptera. Adults range in length from 14–17 m (46–56 ft) and weigh up to 40 metric tons (44 short tons). The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with long pectoral fins and tubercles on its head. It is known for breaching and other distinctive surface behaviors, making it popular with whale watchers. Males produce a complex song that typically lasts from 4 to 33 minutes.

Found in oceans and seas around the world, humpback whales typically migrate between feeding areas towards the poles and breeding areas near the equator. Their diet consists mostly of krill and small fish, and they usually use bubbles to catch prey. They are polygynandrous breeders, with both sexes having multiple partners. Males will follow females and fight off rivals. Mothers give birth to calves in shallower water. Orcas are the main natural predators of humpback whales. The bodies of humpbacks host barnacles and whale lice.

Like other large whales, the humpback was a target for the whaling industry. Humans once hunted the species to the brink of extinction: its population fell to around 5,000 by the 1960s. Numbers have partially recovered to some 135,000 animals worldwide, but entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with ships, and noise pollution continue to affect the species. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Great Bear Rainforest

Fin Whale
VU

Fin Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Balaenoptera physalus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Minke Whale
LC

Minke Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Balaenoptera acutorostrata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Killer Whale

Killer Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Orcinus orca

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Dall's Porpoise
LC

Dall's Porpoise

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phocoenoides dalli

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Common Porpoise
LC

Common Porpoise

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phocoena phocoena

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Gray Whale
LC

Gray Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Eschrichtius robustus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Risso's Dolphin
LC

Risso's Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Grampus griseus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Northern Right Whale Dolphin
LC

Northern Right Whale Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lissodelphis borealis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Sperm Whale
VU

Sperm Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Physeter macrocephalus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Striped Dolphin
LC

Striped Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Stenella coeruleoalba

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~80%
2 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~50%
3 Cabo Pulmo National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~50%
4 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~40%
5 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
~40%
6 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~40%
7 Utría National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~40%
8 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~40%
9 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~30%
10 Cape Range 🇦🇺 Australia
~30%
11 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
12 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
13 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
14 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~20%
15 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
16 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
17 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
18 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
19 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
20 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
21 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
22 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
23 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
24 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~10%
25 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
26 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~10%
27 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
28 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
29 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
30 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
31 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
32 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
33 Tierra del Fuego National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
34 Flinders Chase 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
35 Península Valdés 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
36 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
37 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
38 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
39 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
40 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
41 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
42 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
43 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
44 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Humpback Whale in Great Bear Rainforest?

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Humpback Whale sighting in Great Bear Rainforest, based on 698 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Humpback Whale in Great Bear Rainforest?

September has the highest sighting rate for Humpback Whale in Great Bear Rainforest in our monthly data.

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