Humpback Whale, Madagascar

Humpback whales around Madagascar are part of one of the most incredible migrations in the Indian Ocean.

Every year, from around June to September, over 7,000 of these massive creatures – some weighing as much as 30 tonnes, about the size of a full city bus or five African elephants stacked together - make the long journey from the ice waters of Antarctica to Madagascar’s warm, shallow coastline.  With their knobble yeads, long, wing-like flippers, and powerful tails, humpbacks are very hard to miss when they arrive.

The reason they come all this way is for warmth and safety.  Madagascar’s coastal waters are a perfect nursery for calves, offering a sheltered spot where the little ones, who are already about 16 feet (5 meters) long when they’re born, can grow strong without facing too many predators.  The tropical temperatures are just right, too, especially since newborn humpbacks haven’t yet built up the thick blubber they’ll need later for the freezing seas down south.  The calm waters are also high in krill and small fish, a necessary food source for nursing mothers.

The highlight of any whale-watching experience is when they breach exploding out of the water, twisting in midair before crashing down in a spray of white foam.  Add to that the sight of tail slamming the surface with a loud smack or a giant flipper lazily waving above the waves.  And then there’s the singing.  Males produce incredibly complex and elaborate songs – haunting melodies that travel for miles, weaving through the ocean like an invisible thread.  All that’s missing is a musical score.

Fortunately, these beautiful beasts of the sea have been protected for a long time, and their numbers have been recovering.  This recovery was helped by the International Whaling Commission, which established the Indian Ocean Sanctuary, encompassing the waters around Madagascar and prohibiting commercial whaling.  However, that doesn’t mean they are free of challenges.  Ship strikes, fishing gear entanglement, and the impacts of climate change still pose serious threats.