Here in Guinjata bay, the arrival of the whales each year marks the start of a truly magical time!

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Each year from around end of June to October, the Humpback whales (MEGAPTERA NOVAEANGLIAE) start to migrate up from the ice-packed waters of the arctic to the warm waters of the Indian Ocean for breeding purposes.

  

Humpbacks feed only in summer, in polar waters, and migrate to tropical or subtropical waters to breed and give birth in the winter. During the winter, humpbacks fast and live off their fat reserves.

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They are baleen whales, meaning that they feed by sieving large volumes of water, which they suck into their mouths through hundreds of hair-like baleen plates. These trap small fish and crustaceans (krill), while the water can simply be pushed out of the mouth again.

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The adult Humpback Whale boasts an average length of 11.5 to 15 m and they can weigh between 25 and 30 tonnes.

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The Humpback Whale can often be seen breaching, spyhopping and lobtailing playfully.

These whales often travel alone, but may be part of pods of between three and 15 other Humpbacks. Males might become aggressive with one another, and are often the cause of scarring on the body’s of other males.

The Humpback Whale is acclaimed for its beautiful songs. These are made up by a series of cries, howls, squeaks and moans, which can carry on for hours and travel long distances in the water. This is believed to be an integral method of communication amongst and between whales, and plays an important role in attracting potential mates.

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The Humpback Whale will give birth to her calf in the warmer waters of the tropical and subtropical areas. The calf will be dependent on its mother for the first year of its life; swimming alongside her, and often sharing touches with her as an indication of their intimacy. The calf is fed on protein-rich, high-fat milk. The whale reaches sexual maturity at around five years old.

Each female will give birth once every two or three years with a gestation period of around 11 months.

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It is believed that these whales have an average life span of around 48 years.