More Humpback Whales spotted in Cornwall

January 21st, 2016

They were spotted last week swimming around off the shores of St Ives and it seems there must be something around the Cornish coast that they like as more have been spotted this week too!

Surfers spotted the Whales again off Droskyn Point as the mammals breached the surface before their tales signalled them diving for the deep.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust says Humpback whales are the only species of whale in our waters that lift their tail before diving!

Experts say Humpback whales feed on krill and small fish including herring, sardine and anchovies, all of which are all found in the Cornish waters at this time of the year. The Gulf Stream current brings in warm water from across the Atlantic bringing an abundant amount of life to the nutrient and food-rich waters.

Other interesting facts about these magnificent animals include:

• An adult Humpback whale can grow to an average length of 40-60 ft long and weigh as much as 44 tons. That is twice as long as a London bus and as heavy as almost nine African elephants.
• These marine mammals are generally either a dark grey or black colour with white patches on their stomach and knobs (known as tubercles) covering their head.
• The whale’s back is largely flat with a small dorsal fin located down the far side of its back, however when swimming the humpback may arch its back and flukes causing its back to look like a large hump.
• These marine mammals are known for their massive size and haunting whale songs that are often produced during mating season when male humpback whales sing to compete against other males for the right to mate with a female humpback.

With The Valleys luxury cottages in Cornwall you have the perfect home away from home to come and explore Cornwall and its fantastic marine life…. Just remember to bring your binoculars!

Photo by: Zorankovacevic