Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Sighting evidence at Aleipata Islands Outer Reef, Apia, Samoa
Photo: Wayne and Pam Osborn · CC BY-NC
Between July and October humpback whales from Antarctic feeding grounds transit through the Aleipata channel on their way to Tonga breeding grounds, and their distinctive song is audible underwater throughout that season. Boat-based in-water encounters are not formally permitted in Samoa as they are in Tonga, but divers on the outer reef regularly hear and occasionally see whales passing at distance.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Humpback Whale is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.