Humpback whale tail slapping, California, slo-mo
High-speed footage of a humpback whale (Megaptera novangliae) tail slapping or lob-tailing. It is unknown why whales tail slap, however it may have to do with communication or feeding behaviour. Humpback whales grow up to 19 metres and 40 tons. They have a lifespan of 45 to 50 years. Humpback whales can migrate 5,000 miles between breeding and feeding grounds. Their diet is plankton, small schooling fish and tiny crustaceans like krill. Filmed in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, USA.