Up Close and Personal with Humpback Whales!chalc3d0ny
Humpback whales are most recognizable by their enormous pectoral fins — which can reach up to fifteen feet long, and are the longest of any whale species. If you’re at a distance, you can hear these massive mammals sing from twenty miles away — songs that last nearly twenty minutes.
Adult humpback whales can measure anywhere from 39–52 ft and weigh about 79,000 pounds! Like other whale species, they were hunted to the brink of extinction but their population rebounded in the last century. It’s estimated that there are 80,000 humpback whales in the wild. They are found in all oceans across the globe and tend to stick to themselves. They will occasionally group up with a few other humpback whales in the summer for foraging and feeding. They also live for a very long time — some humpback whales can live up to 100 years old!
Snorkelers Cecil and Mallory Johnson were able to get up-close and personal with a group of these magnificent creatures, and captured the encounter on film. Watch the video!