Common Name
Humpback Whale
Order
Artiodactyla
Family
Balaenopteridae
Species Name
Megaptera novaeangliae
Status
U.S. ESA - Endangered; IUCN - Vulnerable
States
Alaska
California
Connecticut
Hawaii
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Texas
Distribution
Worldwide: cold-temperate to tropical waters
Notes
Acrobatic; leap clear of water when breaching; frequently slaps water with flippers or tail. Feeds on schooling fish or krill; groups may cooperate to trap prey. In winter and summer, found in coastal areas or near islands; migrates through open oceans.