Welcome to Ecology Project International

Q: Once on the brink of extinction, the humpback whale survives in such great numbers that it is no longer threatened.

A: False. The humpback whale’s designated conservation status is still “threatened,” specifically as a “vulnerable species.” The humpback was a whaling industry favorite whose population fell by 90% before a 1966 moratorium. Today, its numbers total about one third of pre-whaling levels. Entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with ships and noise pollution are ongoing concerns. On EPI field study trips to Mexico, your students will collect crucial data about the human impacts on sensitive marine sites and a census of migratory whales. Click here to learn more.

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You’re watching EPI students’ footage of humpback whales in the Sea of Cortez exhibiting a unique behavior called “bubble feeding.” The whale blows a large ring of bubbles that rises to become a cloudy, hollow cylinder, confusing and trapping small fish inside. Sand lance, mackerel and herring—all much faster swimmers than the humpback—can then be concentrated and consumed in mass quantities. Some populations exhibit bubbling variations; in the North Pacific, humpbacks often work in groups for a larger cylinder and a super-sized meal.