The Humpback Whale Sighting in Choco, Colombia

One of the main reasons I traveled to the Department of Chocó in Colombia during this season was the opportunity to observe humpback whales. Every year, between June and September, hundreds of humpback whales arrive from Antarctica to the warm tropical waters to give birth and mate.

Where did I see them?

In Nuquí, in the department of Chocó, and in the Utría inlet, where the National Park of the same name is located. There, the warm and clear waters provide shelter for the mothers who gather to give birth to their calves.

Interesting facts:

• The scientific name of humpback whales is Megaptera novaeangliae.

• They are called humpbacks because they arch their backs before diving.

• They can reach up to 18 meters in length and weigh an average of 40 tons.

• Females are bigger than males.

• They migrate from the cold waters of the South Pole to the tropics on a journey of more than 8,000 kilometers, which takes approximately two months. They arrive in May and leave at the end of October.

• During migration, adults do not feed and lose up to 10 tons of weight.

• Adults only feed in the cold waters of the poles, consuming small crustaceans known as krill and very small fish.

• Humpback whales do not have teeth; to feed, they open their enormous mouths with “baleen” that allow them to filter their food while the water flows back into the ocean.

• The pectoral fins of humpback whales measure around 5 meters.

• During the polar winter, they migrate to warmer waters to give birth and mate.

• The mother’s gestation lasts 11 months and gives birth to only one calf every two or three years.

• At birth, calves measure 3 meters and weigh 2.5 tons. They are born tail-first to avoid drowning.

• They feed on very rich milk, 35–60% fat compared to 2% in human milk.

• Calves consume between 75 and 150 liters of milk daily. The mother produces this large amount of milk despite not feeding herself.

• Humpback whales live on average between 40 and 50 years.

• Humpback whales are very agile, especially during courtship and in their breeding areas, where they can completely leap out of the water.

What was the most exciting part of my encounter with the whales?

Although seeing them was a wonderful experience, hearing them moved me the most. The boat stopped, the engines were turned off, and our guide submerged a microphone. Soon, we began to hear sounds that were hard to describe, very deep, and seemingly used by males during courtship.

The sounds are very elaborate and composed of musical phrases and complete verses that last from a few minutes to several hours without interruption.

Sometimes, the males sing together, forming “choirs.” They sing in similar “dialects” that change over time within the same geographic area.

Although females also produce sounds, these melodies are only sung by the males.