Heavily hunted in the past and it is likely that more than 100,000 humpbacks were killed by whalers thoughout the modern whaling era. Estimated population today of around 10,000 individuals worldwide. Humpbacks have a worldwide distribution with two stocks in the north Atlantic Ocean and two stocks in the north Pacific ocean. The western north Atlantic holds the healthiest population of humpbacks. The baleen is made of keratin and is an adaptation for filter feeding.
Breeding takes place in tropical waters in the winter, usually once every two years.
Global threats include hunting, human disturbance, habitat loss, prey depletion, pollution, entanglement in nets and collisions with vessels. Humpbacks are very energetic and show spectacular breaching behaviour. Individuals can be identified from flipper markings, allowing them to be studied by scientists.