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Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Silhouette: Chris huh · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderCetacea
- FamilyBalaenopteridae (Rorquals)
- GenusMegaptera (Humpback Whales)
- SpeciesMegaptera novaeangliae (Humpback Whale)
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
37 Verified sightings at Svalbard From 2019 to 2026
1,539 In all 32 parks
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
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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 →
Sounds
Recording0:23
United States · 2022
© Charlotte Seid · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:42
United States · 2023
© sea-kangaroo · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:05
Ecuador · 2026
© Alaric Aguilar · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recent sightings of Humpback Whale in Svalbard
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Cape Town | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sea World | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Closest Relatives at Svalbard
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Humpback Whale in Svalbard?
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Humpback Whale sighting in Svalbard on a given day, based on 37 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 9th most-seen of the 14 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Humpback Whale in Svalbard?
September
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Humpback Whale in Svalbard on a given day, against under 5% in March and April, the lowest months. December has too few records to rate.
What time of day is best to see a Humpback Whale?
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Humpback Whale sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Svalbard the best place to see a Humpback Whale?
13th of 32
Of the 32 parks where we can rate Humpback Whale sightings, Svalbard ranks 13th at about 30%. The best odds are in Kenai Fjords National Park (United States, about 80%), Great Bear Rainforest (Canada, about 50%) and Marino Ballena National Park (Costa Rica, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Which relatives of the Humpback Whale live in Svalbard?
Same family: Balaenopteridae
The closest relatives of the Humpback Whale that you can see in Svalbard (family Balaenopteridae, Rorquals) are Minke Whale (about 40%), Fin Whale (about 20%) and Blue Whale (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Humpback Whale sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Humpback Whale is recorded against all the mammals logged in Svalbard (37 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
