Humpback Whales in Iceland
Beautiful humpback whales in the fjord of Isafjordur. These three adult humpback whales dove for food! Humpback whales grow up to 60 feet (18.3 m) long and weigh 80,000 pounds (36.3 metric tons).
Humpback whales can live for 80 to 90 years. https://teachingscience.us/
Humpback whales have some of the longest migrations of any mammal, with some populations swimming 5,000 miles (8,047 km) between breeding and feeding grounds.
Before a final moratorium on commercial whaling in 1985, all populations of humpback whales were greatly reduced, most by more than 95 percent. The species is increasing in abundance throughout its range but faces threats from entanglement in fishing gear, vessel strikes, vessel-based harassment, and underwater noise.
Humpback whales live in all oceans around the world. They travel great distances yearly and have one of the longest migrations of any mammal on the planet. Some populations swim 5,000 miles from tropical breeding grounds to colder, more productive feeding grounds. Humpback whales feed on shrimp-like crustaceans (krill) and small fish, straining huge ocean water through their baleen plates, which act like a sieve.