Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

The migratory baleen humpback whale swims through all the oceans of the world. During the 20th century, hunting reduced humpback populations by more than ninety percent.

The humpback whale was classified as an endangered species in 1973 when the United States Endangered Species Act was passed. Although humpback populations are recovering, threats such as collisions with ships, entanglement in fishing gear, hunting, and noise pollution persist.

The Journey

Humpback whales migrate 5,000 miles (8,000 km), one of the longest migrations of any mammal. Humpbacks feed during the summer in sub arctic regions and travel to sub-tropical waters in winter to breed.

National Parks

Humpback whales use these and other national parks:

Channel Islands National Park	Fire Island National Seashore	Glacier Bay National Park
Haleakala National Park	Hawaii Volcanoes National Park	Olympic National Park