The size is about 15 meter of length and 35 tons of weight with long pectorals. The whales are found in almost all of the oceans and sea in the world. They inhabit in the area closer to the poles for feeding during the summer and the lower latidudes for mating, giving birth and nursing the culves.

The whale takes krill, plankton, herring, sardine, mackerel, salmon, and so on up to 1,360 kg (3,000 lb) per day.

They have unique hunting technique known as bubble net feeding. Several whales form circle in deep. They blow bubbles continuously that shape cylinder to trap school of fish inside. While the whale swim upward, they shrink the bubble cylinder like a net and suddenly swallow their pray. They also smash their pectoral to the water surface. The impact has crustaceans gather round for whales to devour.

During summer, the population of crustaceans and planktons are high in northern and southern Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Humpback whales stay those areas for feeding to get enough nutrition and start migration to lower latitudes area for winter. Although the distance of their migration is varied, they take the longest trip among all the kinds of whales. The longest migration record is 8,300 km (5,160 miles) according to NOAA.

It is recognized that the whales do not migrate across the equator line. Some scientists think the humpback whales in the North Pacific, the North Atlantic and the South Hemisphere are different subspecies. The whale is also famous for their singing behaviour. Their songs last for 10 to 20 minutes and sometimes keep repeating for hours. The purpose of their singings has not known yet. Humpback whales come closer to the coast line, so they can be seen by the whale watchers commonly.

Humpback whale has curved line from dorsal fin to tail. The hump can be seen just before the whale dives.

Kelp forest in the sea is ideal environment for many of the creatures for hiding, nesting, hunting and nursing. Holdfast looks like plant roots hold the sea bottom tightly. Stipe, looks like plant stem stretches up to the sea surface. Float looks like balloon is filled with gas and help the kelp keeps standing up in the sea.

Smaller boats are commonly used for the tour to avoid extra stress to the animals. Zodiac boats are popular for the tours from the Norther pacific coast. The boat has more flexibilities to move over the ocean, but it is very bumpy during the excursion. The tour by this boat may have better possibility to see whale in close but it is definitely suitable for people who has no problems on their neck and spine in a mean time.