Amundsen_Science_Arctic_Expedition
Humpback whales are found in the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic and Antarctic Oceans, in a wide area ranging from latitudes 65 ° N to 60 ° S. They are divided into four distinct populations in the northern hemisphere and seven in the southern hemisphere.
These whales migrate extensively between feeding areas in high polar latitudes and breeding areas in warm tropical and subtropical waters where they raise their calves.
They are known for their spectacular cooperative fishing technique: several whales congregate at a school of fish, releasing air through their vents to concentrate their prey in a bubble trap. They then emerge from the water, mouths wide open, to swallow quantities of krill and small fish.
Protected species (1986 declaration of the moratorium on commercial whaling by the International Whaling Commission), the numbers of humpback whales have increased, the species is now classified in the category of "least concern" by the IUCN, INPN website
