What do humpback whales feed on?
They feed mainly on ‘krill’ (or small crustaceans which look like shrimp about 2 inches long) and on small fish such as herring, mackerel, capelin, scad, sand lance, small salmon, and cod. The name krill originates from the Norwegian word “kril” which means “small fry of fish (1907)”. In the cold Arctic and Antarctic waters, these krill are found in large close swarms. Humpback whales eat up to a ton of feed per day when they are in cooler waters to build up a thick fat layer, called “blubber”. They live on this blubber during the winter months when they stay in warmer waters where less food is available. The blubber layer on a large whale can be up to 18″ thick!
