By Captain Dave
Did you know . . .
- Humpback whales are naturally solitary animals. Humpbacks do not mate for life, and are therefore not thought to be monogamous creatures.
- Along with their suspected promiscuity, Humpback whale father are also suspected to play no defined parental role in the raising of the calf.
- At the same time, individual humpback whale mothers have been found to have many calves bred by different fathers.
- As with their mating structure, humpback whales oftentimes make “friends” only temporarily. The official term for these friendships is “associations.”
- Whales who are “associated” with each other will exhibit one or more of the following properties:
Surfacing together at the same time.
Diving together at the same time.
Traveling within a body length (or closer) of each other.
Engaging in other similar behaviors. - Humpback whale associations are typically brief, lasting anywhere from just a few minutes, to at most a few days.
In just a few short months you will be able see these behaviors and more on one of our Maui whale watch tours. Book today!