Humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Sighting evidence at Whale Corridor, Vava'u, Tonga
Photo: Wayne and Pam Osborn · CC BY-NC
Southern Hemisphere humpbacks migrate to Vava'u's sheltered waters each austral winter to give birth and nurse calves before the long return to Antarctic feeding grounds. Tonga is one of very few places on Earth where permitted in-water encounters are conducted in a regulated, low-impact framework. Population recovering under IWC protections.
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.