Humpback whales are seen during their north and south migrations from northern waters to breeding grounds near Hawaii and also feeding offshore during the summer. Humpbacks have been documented travelling 3,000 miles between Alaska and Hawaii in as few as 36 days. They are usually five to 15 miles offshore, so they are most often seen by fishers. Humpback whales live in all major oceans from the equator to sub-polar latitudes. Humpbacks eat primarily krill and small fish and can consume 3,000 pounds of food a day.

Humpbacks grow to 60 feet in length with a stocky body, an obvious hump, a knobby head and unusually long pectoral fins, which can measure up to 15 feet. The tail, which it lifts above the surface of the water in some dives, has a wavy trailing edge and black and white markings that are unique to individuals. Scientists can identify individual whales by photographs of the underside of flukes, much like a detective can identify someone by their fingerprints.

Considered the acrobats of the sea, humpbacks often breach and slap the water with their tail and pectorals. They are also known for their beautiful "songs," which, although studied for years, are not well understood.

Photo by Amila Tennakoon, Flickr