The Humpback is a baleen whale - feeding on krill which it filters through hairy 'baleen' plates in its mouth. It is named for the bump on its back directly beneath the dorsal fin. It has remarkably long pectoral fins, up to 5m long. It is very acrobatic which together with its white belly and fins make easy to idetify and a favourite of whale watching tours. It spends the summer in polar waters feeding but migrates up to 2,500 miles to spend each winter in warmer waters where they have their young, fasting throughout this period.
Large barnacles can be seen on the whale's throat. It is believed they tolerate some barnacles here to provide a rough surface when competing for females. Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia Date
