Humpback Whales in Tonga

Humpback whales in Tonga Islands

Humpback whales have visited Vava'u for millenia. They migrate from their summer feeding grounds in Antarctica to winter breeding and birthing grounds in Tonga's warm tropical waters. The whales start arriving in June, and most new calves are born between July and September. Boisterious courtship displays, male competition, and mothers caring for their calves make this an exciting time to be watching whales in Tonga. By October many of the new calves are old enough to travel, and by November, most of the whales have left the Tonga islands to begin their journey south to the nutrient-rich waters of Antarctica where the whales gorge themselves on krill. They do not feed on their winter breeding grounds and must subsist on fat reserves stored in their blubber through the season.

Protecting the Whales

Today, in most areas, humpback whales are protected but that has not always been the case. l9th Century whalers slaughtered the whales in great numbers in the Tonga islands, other South Pacific Islands and in the Antarctic. Over 200,000 Southern Hemisphere humpbacks were killed from l904 until l963, when Southern Hemisphere humpback whales were protected from commercial whaling. Tongan whaling ended in l978 when a moratorium was imposed by Royal decree. Since l99l, Tongan humpback whales have been studied and monitored by University of Auckland research teams.

Research

The researchers have identified and catalogued 397 individuals to date. But the legacy of whaling remains, two hundred years ago, an estimated 7,000 humpbacks visited Tonga's waters, but by the time whaling was ended there were as few as 15 mature breeding females arriving annually. Recovery is happening, but it is slow, the current population is estimated at between 250-700 individuals.

Responsible Whale Watching

Whale watching operators in Tonga are aware of the delicate balance which must be maintained between viewing and harrassing the whales so they have developed a code of conduct to help insure this population of humpback whales continues to find a safe and peaceful haven in the Kingdom of Tonga. We feel that contact with these ancient and gentle creatures inspires our guests to participate in the worldwide effort to protect them. And bringing tourists to Tonga to see the whales, ensures a sustainable economic benefit to Tonga that will help them fend off the pressure from some ex-whaling nations to resume "harvesting" whales.

Melinda Sea Adventures began a program in 1998 taking groups of Tongan high school students out on our sailing boat to see the whales. In this way Tongan students get to learn about and appreciate the whales, and hopefully will want to protect them. We are committed to making sure that the whales and the ocean environment are preserved.

Tonga Whale Watching Regulations

Other links:
Save the Whales sign a petition
The Great Whale Trail
Ocean Alliance
Sea Sheperd