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Megaptera novaeangliae

To‘ōra

Humpback Whale

Multimedia & Additional Resources

Type	Description	Download
Image:	Breeching (French Polynesia))	47KB
Image:	Mother and calf 1 (Rarotonga)	24KB
Image:	Mother and calf 2 (Rarotonga)	23KB
Image:	Calf underwater (Tonga)	31KB
Video:	on Rarotonga (© Karl Traylor)	385KB
Sound:	Male song	71KB
Image:	Feeding in the wintering grounds	36KB

General Information

COMMON NAMES: Humpback Whale

TRADITIONAL NAMES: To‘ōra (RR), To‘orā (MG MK AK), Tōrā (AT), Tōra‘a (MT), Toholā (TS), Tohorā (TW), Tahora (MH RK), Tawolā (PK); Other Polynesian - Koholā (HAW)

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native, Migrant, Breeder; S.Group - uncommon; N.Group - rare; Marine, pelagic, off-shore

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: ; Nationally endangered (moderately)Ecotourism

Enlarged Image of 'Megaptera novaeangliae'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present Makatea: Present
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
+++	++	++	++	++	++	+++	+	+

Northern Group: SPresent
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
+	+	+	+	+	+

Key to Symbols

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781)
TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); TETRAPODA; MAMMALIA; THERIA; EUTHERIA; Cetacea; Mysticeti; BALAENOPHTERIDAE

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Pukapuka: informant reports at NBSAP meeting, 2/2004.

References:
None recorded.

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zupM07a

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.
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