This male was in the middle of it all. Humpbacks brawl, shove, push, and take each other down, all of it very serious. If you look closely at the above photo you will see the blood on the trailing edge of this fluke. His tubercles were also bleeding. Although this is not a fight to the death, as far as researchers know, a death did occur several years ago during a competition. Researchers believe that the humpback’s heart may have given out. What was even more interesting was as the animal began to sink toward the ocean floor, one or more males tried to lift him to the surface and one tried to hold him.
What is it about? In the animal kingdom many males compete, or fight, for the right to mate. Dominance must take place. The biggest and strongest males are more successful in mating. Most researchers agree that the animals seem to feel bigger is better because it may produce a larger offspring who would have a better chance of success.
In humpback world researchers tell us that the size of the female is key. Bigger females produce larger offspring. If a female were sixty feet in length, her newborn calf would be the length of her head, or twenty feet, at birth and would weigh approximately two tons, the same weight at mother’s tongue!
Are there small calves out there? Indeed there are, the products of smaller moms. Humpback mating season in Hawaii is nearly finished. The numbers are thinning out very rapidly with a few straggling adults and many moms with calves still milling around. So grab your camera and hurry on down. We’ll save you a rail spot.
