The Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a very large cetacean. It is an adoptable animal in Zoo Tycoon.
Description[]
Found across the world's oceans, the humpback whale is one of the largest members of the baleen whale family, reaching lengths of up to 14–17m (46–56ft) and weighing up to 40 metric tons. It is named after the distinctive hump on its back; other distinctive features include a head covered in tubercles, a tail fluke with a wavy trailing edge and long pectoral fins - proportionately, they are the longest of any cetacean. Instead of teeth, the humpback whale, like all members of its family, has keratinous plates called baleen in its upper jaw, which it uses to filter out small fish and krill from water when it feeds. Humpback whales have been known to blow bubbles in order to trap fish in a "bubble net" and can catch thousands of fish in one attack using this technique.
During the breeding season, male humpback whales will produce complex songs that can range in length from 15 to 30 minutes at a time, several males in a single area will sing the same song, or even sing together in “choruses”, repeating the same song multiple times in a loop from anywhere between five minutes to over 24-hours. It is unknown as to the exact function of these songs, as male humpback whales will also sing in their feeding grounds and during migration, during times which are unrelated to breeding. Males will compete for females using a series of behaviours such as breaching, spyhopping and slapping the water with their tails and pectoral fins. Humpback whales may travel up to 25,000 kilometres (16,000 miles) a year in order to find food and give birth. Studies have shown them interacting with many other cetaceans, including other large whales.
Zoo Tycoon[]
The humpback whale is an adoptable animal in Zoo Tycoon and was added as part of the Marine Mania expansion pack. It must be researched in order to be adopted.
Like all Marine Mania animals, the humpback whale is an Aquatic animal. Two animals require a fairly large tank in order to be comfortable, its large size means it can be safely exhibited with most other marine animals. The humpback whale requires a tank that is 7 units deep and a good amount of foliage and rocks to meet its habitat suitability, its favorite foliage being Sea Stars. The humpback whale is an easier animal to maximise its habitat suitability, being able to meet it using only Sea Stars and Medium Ocean Floor Rocks. When the humpback whale's happiness is high, it will occasionally breach out of the water.
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