Types of whales and where to find them
What kind of whales can you expect to spot while whale watching and where are the best places around the world to see them? Keep on reading to find out about the different types of whales and the best places and seasons to watch them!
Whale watching is a wonderful way to get closer to nature and learn more about the ocean and its beautiful creatures! The thought of whale watching conjures images of fantastical sea creatures breaching the water and refreshing ocean escapades – but what kind of whales can you actually expect to see while watching and where should you go for the best whale watching experience? Before we get into the spots and seasons for whale watching, it is important to get a basic understanding of the different whales you might be able to spot!
Types of whales
While at first it might seem like there are countless types of whales to keep track of, in fact, all the whales of the world can be categorised into two subgroups: 76 species of toothed whales (odontocetes), who use teeth to hunt for prey, and 14 species of baleen whales (mysticetes), who use ‘sheets’ of baleen bristles to filter food from the water.
Baleen whales
Baleen whales consist of four different families: rorqual, right, grey, and pygmy right whale. The rorqual family is the largest of the baleen families, with nine members including blue, fin, humpback, Bryde’s, sei, and mink whales. Below is a list of some of the most common baleen whales roaming the seas.
Humpback whale (rorqual): Humpback whales are some of the most well-known whale species globally, and can grow up to 50 ft/25 m in length and weigh up to 36 metric tonnes. Humpback whales have long pectoral fins and knobby bumps on their head. They are found worldwide, including in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, though the two populations do not seem to mix. Humpback whales feed in polar regions and migrate to tropical/subtropical waters to breed and give birth and are known to rack up around 9,900 m/16,000 km of migration travel every year!
Blue Whale (rorqual): Blue whales are the largest animals on earth (actually, the largest known animal to have ever existed!) and can grow up to 100 feet/30 metres in length and weigh as much as 90 metric tonnes. Just their tongues can weigh as much as an elephant! Blue whales are long and slender, with flat topped heads. They are often found alone or in small groups in all the oceans, but are more prevalent in the Southern Hemisphere.
Right whales: Right whales get their name from being called the ‘right’ whale to hunt by whalers due to their slow swimming speeds and high blubber content, and due to being hunted close to extinction, are now considered the most endangered population of whales. The four types of right whales are the North Atlantic right whale (on the the most endangered whale species in the world), the North Pacific right whale, the Southern right whale, and the Bowhead whale. Right whales grow up to 50 feet/15 metres in length and weigh up to 63 metric tonnes.They have stocky, black bodies and their huge heads take up to one third of their total length!
Toothed whales
Toothed whales consist of ten families: the sperm whale, the beluga and narwhal, beaked whales, oceanic dolphins, the four river dolphins, and porpoises. They are known to be very sociable, highly intelligent, and often travel in pods.
Sperm whales: Sperm whales are the largest of the toothed whales and are known as the world’s largest predators. They grow up to 60 feet/18 metres in length and weigh as much as 40 metric tonnes. Sperm whales are named for the oil found in their ‘melon’, an organ found in their head, that was once highly sought after. These whales are dark grey in colour with a small jaw and a hulking block-like head. Sperm whales are found in all deep oceans world-wide. Famously, Moby Dick, from the book by Herman Melville that was based upon a real life white whale, was a sperm whale.
Orcas (oceanic dolphin): Orcas are otherwise known as killer whales and are highly recognisable thanks to their distinct black and white colour patterns. Orcas are known to grow up to 32 feet/9 metres and weigh up to 8 metric tonnes. They are very intelligent creatures and are highly specialised hunters. Orcas are found in all oceans but are more abundant in colder waters such as off the coast of Antarctica, Norway, Iceland, and Alaska.
Beluga whales: Beluga whales are known for their distinct snowy white colouring and bulbous forehead. They group up to 15 feet/14.5 metres in length and weigh up to 1.3 metric tonnes. Belugas are found in the Arctic and sub-Arctic waters of the Northern hemisphere, such as the regions around Alaska, Russia, Canada, Norway, Iceland, and Greenland.
Now that you know more about whales, it’s time to find out where and when to see them in their natural habitat!
Top whale-watching spots worldwide and their seasons
Norway: Year round whale watching for orcas, sperm whales, and other species such as minke and fin, but the best months are from November - January, when migratory whales like humpbacks come to feed on herring. The north of Norway is especially known for great whale watching. Check out our whale watching trips in Tromso, in northern Norway!
Hawaii: December - April for humpback whales, with the peak month being February. It is estimated that two thirds of the entire northern humpback population come to Hawaii every year to breed and birth! Humpback whales can be seen from all the Hawaiian islands but are best seen from the shallow waters between Maui and Molokai, such as this eco-conscious whale watching trip from Lahaina, in Maui.
South Africa: From July - November spot southern right whales, May - December for humpback whales, and Bryde’s whales year round. The most popular town for whalewatching is Hermanus (see all of our whale watching trips near Hermanus here!), where whales swim close enough to shore that you can whale watch from land (they even have a whale crier to alert you of sightings!). Other popular whale watching spots include Plettenberg Bay and Cape Town.
Canada: There are many species of whales you can spot when whale watching in Canada, including blue, humpback, fin, minke, beluga, and orcas! The best time to go is between June - October, and eastern Canada is also known to have some of the best whale watching spots such as Tadoussac (home to 13 species of whale!), Montreal, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Azores: The Azores, located off the coast of Portugal, are one of the biggest whale sanctuaries in the world! Due to the islands' special location in the ‘Gulp Stream’, around 30 species of whale travel by the Azores as they make their way to summer feeding grounds (from March - June), such as blue whales, Byrde’s, pilot, fin, and sei. Some whales, such as the sperm whale, tend to stick around all year long! Check out these whale watching excursions from the island of São Miguel in the Azores.
Baja California: Baja California is best known for its friendly grey whales who travel from the Arctic to the beautiful lagoons along the pacific coast of Baja to breed and birth. The grey whales in Baja are so sociable that they even invite human interaction (as long as it's done in a safe and environmentally safe way) from February - April! During this same period you can also spot blue whales, Bryde’s, humpback, sperm whales, and minke from Baja’s prosperous waters.
New Zealand: Whale watching in New Zealand is mostly centred around Kaikoura and the Hauraki Gulf. Kaikouora is known for its humpback whales that can be seen almost year round and the Hauraki Gulf is particularly known as a home to Bryde’s whales. From May - October you can also spot southern right whales, blue whales, pilot whales, and orcas!
Whether you want to see orcas in Norway or humpbacks in Hawaii, now equipped with some knowledge of whales along with essential spots and seasons, the world is your whale watching oyster!