The Great Barrier Reef is home to some of the most incredible animals on Earth. The Great Barrier Reef is blessed with these fantastic creatures and their memorable displays of behaviour.
Humpback whale behaviour is one of the most memorable displays of wild animal behaviour that you’ll ever see!
Breaching
Humpback whales are incredibly energetic, and you’ll spot them displaying bold moves during their migration journey. You will see them launching themselves out of the water fully. Then, they’ll turn themselves over in a kind of roll.
What does it mean? When a whale breaches, it could mean one of several things!
- Attracting a mate
- Displaying playfulness
- Communicating with other humpbacks
When a whale breaches, it’s very dramatic! A breach looks like a whale coming out of the water very quickly, aiming for the sky…then it quickly turns around 180 degrees and does a mighty splash in the water.
Tail-slapping
When a whale raises its tail upwards and then slaps it down onto the water, it results in a large ocean crash where the tail hits the water. This tail slap can be seen as a warning sign amongst multiple whales.
The reason whales will do a tail tap is generally to warn off other aggressive whales. It is a sign of aggression that protects them against other threats.
Fin-slap
When whales slap their pectoral fin against the ocean’s surface, it’s a friendly greeting signal. A fin-slap isn’t quite as aggressive or bold as a breach or a tail-slap, but it’s still noticeable from a boat! It could mean a signal that there are other whales in the area. Or, it’s to communicate their location.
When do whales migrate?
Between June and November, these fantastic beasts travel upwards from the south of Australia and up to the warmer waters of Queensland from the freezing waters of Antarctica.
Whale watching
To see this behaviour along the Great Barrier Reef, take a fun scuba dive tour to see the whales on their migration journey.
Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia
Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.