The Humpback whale or Koholā can range in length from 39–52 ft and weigh nearly 79,000 lbs! It is no wonder when people see these beautiful creatures for the first time, it is a memory they will not soon forget. Males produce a complex song lasting 10 to 20 minutes, which they repeat for hours at a time. Its purpose is not clear, though it may have a role in mating. The whales typically migrate up to 16,000 miles each year spending winter months here in Hawaii to give birth. Like other large whales, the humpback was and is a target for the whaling industry. Once hunted to the brink of extinction, its population fell by an estimated 90% before a moratorium was introduced in 1966. While stocks have since partially recovered, entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with ships, and noise pollution continue to impact the 80,000 humpbacks worldwide.
 
 
 
UPC: WHALE