Humpback Whale
Humpback WhaleHumpback WhaleHumpback WhaleHumpback Whale

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Channel Islands National Park
235 Verified records at Channel Islands National Park
October Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus Megaptera. Adults range in length from 14–17 m (46–56 ft) and weigh up to 40 metric tons (44 short tons). The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with long pectoral fins and tubercles on its head. It is known for breaching and other distinctive surface behaviors, making it popular with whale watchers. Males produce a complex song that typically lasts from 4 to 33 minutes. Wikipedia →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Humpback Whale sighting in Channel Islands National Park, based on 235 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Channel Islands National Park

Blue Whale
EN

Blue Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Balaenoptera musculus

5–10% · With luck
Fin Whale
VU

Fin Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Balaenoptera physalus

<5% · Rare
Minke Whale
LC

Minke Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Balaenoptera acutorostrata

<5% · Rare
Eden's Whale
LC

Eden's Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Balaenoptera edeni

Insufficient data
Common Dolphin
LC

Common Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Delphinus delphis

50–60% · Likely
Bottlenose Dolphin
LC

Bottlenose Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tursiops truncatus

20–30% · Possible
Gray Whale
LC

Gray Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Eschrichtius robustus

10–20% · With luck
Risso's Dolphin
LC

Risso's Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Grampus griseus

10–20% · With luck
Killer Whale

Killer Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Orcinus orca

5–10% · With luck
Northern Right Whale Dolphin
LC

Northern Right Whale Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lissodelphis borealis

Insufficient data
Dall's Porpoise
LC

Dall's Porpoise

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phocoenoides dalli

Insufficient data
Sperm Whale
VU

Sperm Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Physeter macrocephalus

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
30–40
Feb
20–30
Mar
30–40
Apr
30–40
May
30–40
Jun
30–40
Jul
20–30
Aug
20–30
Sep
40–50
Oct
40–50
Nov
30–40
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
80–90%
2 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
50–60%
3 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
40–50%
4 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
30–40%
5 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
6 Utría National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
30–40%
7 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
30–40%
8 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
30–40%
9 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
10 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
20–30%
11 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
12 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
13 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
14 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
15 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
16 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
17 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
10–20%
18 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
19 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
20 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
21 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
22 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
23 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
24 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
25 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
26 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
27 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
28 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
5–10%
29 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
30 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
<5%
31 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
32 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
33 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
34 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
35 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
36 Tierra del Fuego National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
37 Península Valdés 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
38 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
39 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
40 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
41 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
42 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
43 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
44 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
45 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
46 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Humpback Whale in Channel Islands National Park?

About 33% of wildlife watchers report a Humpback Whale sighting in Channel Islands National Park, based on 235 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Humpback Whale in Channel Islands National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Humpback Whale in Channel Islands National Park in our monthly data.

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