H
umpback whales are famous for their
acrobatics as they jump (breach) or
tail-slap the water. The whales migrate
between cool-water feeding grounds and
warm-water breeding grounds, and these
40-plus-ton gentle giants have the longest
migration trek of any mammal. The good
news is that you can witness this incredible
migration from both the West and East
Coasts of the U.S.
The North Pacific humpbacks call the
Hawaiian Islands home between November
and May with peak populations showing up
between January and March. They make the
trip from southeastern Alaska.
The best way to get close to the North
Pacific humpbacks is by going out on
a whale-watching tour. If you are in Hawaii
and want to try spotting them from shore,
Credit: Gleb Tarro/ Shutterstock
humpback
Whales
check out these top 10 places to spot the
whales. In Alaska, Glacier Bay National
Park is an ideal place to see humpback
whales. Tours run between June and early
September.
The North Atlantic humpback whales move
between the Caribbean and the northern
Atlantic. Breeding areas are populated
between December and April near the
Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos.
The summer feeding areas range from
Greenland to New England and happen
between May and November.
The best spot to see the North Atlantic
humpbacks in New England is catching
a whale-watching tour to the Stellwagen
Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Tours run
between May and October.
