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Maui Whale Watch Magazine • WhaleWatching OnMaui.com
HUMPBACK ECHOLOCATION
Alison Stimpert of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
says that 'megapclicks', aside from being attempts to
capture prey, may also be used to detect the sea floor.
It's a "trickle migration," with juveniles usually arriving first, followed by the adult males, adult females, and then the pregnant females.
Since the waters around Hawaii are relatively warm, they make for ideal conditions to reproduce.
About 80% of humpbacks that migrate to Hawaii end up in the waters off Maui.
Humpbacks travel at a speed of three to
six mph, but can cruise at up to twenty
mph for short distances.
But they don't all migrate at one time. In fact, some
don't migrate at all - a phenomenon that
still has researchers baffled.
HUMPBACK AUDIBLE
COMMUNICATION
Researcher John Calambokidis believes humpbacks
may use long distance sounds or songs as cues in
order to navigate, often in a straight line for miles.
Imagine swimming non-stop for 3,500 miles or more!
Every year, in early fall, humpback whales begin an incredible journey from the Gulf of Alaska to Hawaii. These gentle giants travel about 3,500
miles from their feeding grounds in polar waters to the warm waters of the Hawaiian Islands over a period of four to eight weeks.
