Ocean
Watch
Monday, January 11, 1999
Humpback guide
filled with whale
information
Now that our humpback whales have returned in full
force, it's time to pack up the family and go watch these marine mammals
do their stuff.
You can see these near-shore whales for free from any
place with a good view of the ocean.
Each year, as I watch the whales rise, leap and slap, I
discover I've forgotten some details about these big, visible animals.
To bone up this year, I read the Hawaiian Islands
Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary's guide to whale watching and
learned a lot.
See how much you know about Hawaii's famous winter
visitors:
1. When a whale blows, and you see a cloud of spray
above it, the animal is: a. trying to attract a mate, b. displaying
aggression, c. breathing normally, d. signaling its offspring.
2. The flippers located on each side of humpback whales
are: a. about 15 feet long in adults, b. used by the whale for turning and
steering, c. called pectoral fins, d. all of the above.
3. When a humpback whale rolls onto its back, waves its
fins in the air, then slaps them on top of the water, it's called a: a.
breach, b. pec slap, c. peduncle slap, d. high five.
4. Often, mother and calf are accompanied by a male
whale called an escort. This male: a. is the lifetime mate of that female,
b. stays with the female and calf throughout the winter but leaves during
the spring migration north, c. protects the calf from predators, d.
usually sticks around for less than one day.
5. Humpback whale songs: a. are all the same within the
same season, b. are sung by females, c. are made by the whales' vocal
cords, d. sound a little like Jackson Brown.
6. Which of the following is true about humpback
whales' tails? a. They're called flukes, b. researchers use their markings
for identification, c. a slap of one on the water or onto another whale is
an aggressive move, d. all of the above.
7. Humpbacks are baleen whales. This means they: a.
prefer to eat bales of hay when they can get it, b. produce only one calf
per year, c. eat by filtering fish and invertebrates from ocean water, d.
have barbs on their teeth.
8. It is illegal to: a. approach a humpback whale
within 100 yards, b. take flash pictures of humpback whales, c. fish in
waters inhabited by humpback whales, d. scuba dive where humpback whale
songs can be heard underwater.
Answers
1. c. The spray we see is simply the whale exhaling.
2. d.
3. b. The peduncle is the rear portion of a whale,
including the tail. A breach is when two-thirds of the whale's body
clears the surface in a leap. A high five is a human signal meaning
"Coming to see these whales was a great idea!"
4. d. Male and female humpbacks form short bonds,
often just a few hours long.
5. a. North Pacific Humpback males all sing the same
song all season using valves and muscles of the respiratory tract.
Whales have no vocal cords.
6. d.
7. c. Baleen is a material similar in composition to
human fingernails. It hangs down from these whales' upper jaws in
strips, forming a porous mat which strains water for food. Baleen whales
have no teeth.
8. a. Never approach a humpback whale within 100
yards (the length of a football field). This law is designed to give the
whales the space they need to live normally and thus keep coming to
Hawaii. Photography, fishing and diving are allowed in sanctuary waters.
You can learn more about the whales, and enhance your
viewing experience, by reading this excellent, free brochure. To get one,
call the whale sanctuary office at 397-2651.
