What is pectoral fin slapping?
Commonly referred to as “pec slapping,” this is when a whale lying on it’s side repeatedly raises a long pectoral fin into the air and slams it back to the surface with a loud splash. It’s another way the whales communicate with each other.
Why do whales slap their pectoral fins?
During the winter breeding season female Humpback use pectoral fin slapping as a way of flirting with and encouraging the attention of male Humpbacks. The female whales will lay on their sides lifting one pectoral fin and allowing it to fall to the surface creating a big sound and splash.
What does whale tail slapping mean?
There are a few reasons whales tail slap but the main reason is to warn off predation or over bearing males &/or females. It is a defensive action and depending upon the energy in the tail slap generally indicates what the communication is all about.
What is tail slapping?
A tail slap also known as “lobtailing” is the act of a whale or dolphin lifting its tail flukes out of the water and forcefully slapping them onto the surface of the water, often repetitively, resulting in a loud slap.
Why do humpbacks slap the water?
Peduncle Slap (or Lobtail) An aggressive display where the humpback whale will thrash the surface of the water by whipping its upraised flukes from side to side. Humpbacks will slap the surface of the water as a warning signal to others or bash other whales during aggressive competition.
Why do whales throw water?
Now when these whales let out these mighty blows they aren’t releasing water from their blowhole they are letting out air, because their breath is so powerful it causes the water around its hole to create a cloud of mist.
What is a humpback fluke?
Humpback whales often show these tails, or ‘fluke’ while diving, making them ideal candidates for photo-identification projects. Of all the baleen whales, humpbacks are most likely to engage in surface activities such as breaching and slapping their tail flukes and pectoral fins.
What does Lobtailing mean?
: to beat the surface of the water with the flukes.
What does it mean when dolphins slap their tails?
Tail slapping is pretty self-explanatory, dolphins slap their tails against the surface of the water in order to stun fish with the resulting shockwave. They can also use their tails to make a cyclone of mud to unveil hiding fish as well.
What is the pectoral fin function?
The pectoral fins are the two fins located on the sides of a fish (or marine mammal). These fins are primarily responsible for control of directional movement, up and down or side to side. Pectoral fins can come in all shapes and sizes which fill different functions for different fish.