Kona Hawaii is a perfect place to watch
Humpback Whales and other marine animals
in their natural environment.

Humpback whale sightings are common in Hawaii from December through May each year. About 60 percent of the North Pacific humpback whale population migrates to Hawaiian waters where they mate, give birth to and nurse their young.

North Pacific Humback whales migrate nearly 7,000 miles each year between Alaska in the summer and Hawaii in the winter.

Adult females begin to reproduce when they reach ten years of age and have one baby (called a calf) per year. The gestation period lasts between 10-12 months, after that a calf is born which usually measures about 12 feet long.

Weighing about 3,000 pounds, humpback whale calves are born beneath the water and need to be pushed to the surface by their mothers so they can take their first breath of air. Calves stay very close to their mothers for the first year as they feed on their mother's milk and learn to swim. A Calf will consume about 50 gallons of milk per day and grow by about 100 pounds a day.

A humpback whale's tail (called a fluke) averages fifteen feet across and has distinct white and black markings on the underside. These unique markings help scientists identify individual whales, track their movements and record their numbers.

Did you know whales can sing? Scientists think that male humpbacks communicate by pressing air through the valves of their respiratory system. They do this during mating season probably to compete with other males and for the attention of the females. Hear Humpback Whale Song - Click Here.

Humback whales are mammals and breathe air just like all mammals. They can hold their breath for up to 45 minutes but usually their dives last from 10 to 15 minutes in length. When they return to the surface they exhale through a blowhole on the top of their heads. These spouts can be seen from miles away and contain enough air to fill a ballon the size of a small truck.

Humpback Whale Blowhole

Humback Whales are the world's fifth largest whale and females can measure up to 45 feet long or about the same length as an average school bus. Males are usually a little smaller. Even though these massive creatures can weigh over 100,000 pounds they are strong enough swimmers to jump out of the water.

To learn more about these fascinating marine creatures and have a lot of fun while you're at it, give us a call and let us book a whale watching cruise for you today.

Visit our Ocean Eco shop. Directions here.
Call Ocean Eco Tours today at 1 808 324-7873 or fill out our contact form.

Ocean Eco Tours
Located in Honokohau Harbor
74-425 Kealakehe Pkwy.
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
808 324-7873
ecoinfo@oceanecotours.com

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