Why Do Humpbacks Pec Slap? The purpose behind this Language of the Whales is all about communication and is the equivalent of a friendly human wave. Humpback Whales will often pec slap to attract attention towards themselves which is a very important part of their communication. Female whales will often pec slap during the northern migration to call in the attention of nearby males and encourage the beginning of a competition pod. Today we could see a mother whale teaching her new calf how to use the pec slap to encourage the approach of a nearby pod moving their way. The nearby pod had initially begun the conversation with the young black bellied calf breaching and tail lobbing away to try and find a response from the other pods.
His mum carefully guided her calf towards a nearby pod and much to the little ones excitement there was a response! The mother whale from the second pod began to pec slap gracefully as she communicated towards the breaching calf she could hear him loud and clear. It was wonderful to watch and see this language lesson unfolding as the mother whales do a tremendous job in not only teaching their calves but also educating other calves in nearby pods that they have the opportunity of interacting with during their time in the resting grounds. It is wonderful to see many mums and bubs still enjoying the resting grounds as we start our first November tour today and look forward to welcoming the last of the southbound Humpback Whales in the next few weeks.
