Humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Sighting evidence at Mariners Cave Tonga, Vava'u, Tonga
Photo: Wayne and Pam Osborn · CC BY-NC
Southern humpback whales migrate from Antarctic feeding grounds to the warm sheltered waters of Vava'u each year between July and October to give birth and nurse calves. Tonga is one of very few places in the world where in-water observation is legally permitted under strict approach guidelines. Adults reach 16 metres and 30 tonnes; calves born in these waters will make the full round-trip migration within their first year.
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.