Every year between mid-December and late March, thousands of humpback whales congregate in the warm waters off the coast of the Dominican Republic. During Dominican Republic whale watching season, these magnificent mammals gather here to mate, give birth and nurse their young. It’s one of nature’s most spectacular annual events – and you can enjoy the best whale watching during your visit.
The World Wildlife Fund considers Samana Bay one of the best places in the world to watch whales. It offers something for everyone—the outer bay is where you might find aggressive males competing for the favors of willing females, and the sheltered inner bay is one of the most important humpback nurseries in the world.
Mid-January to the end of March is the usual whale-watching season in Samana Bay; however, the excursions continue as long as enough whales remain. The rest of the year, the whales feed in the cold, fish-rich waters of the North Atlantic between Massachusetts Bay and Iceland and Greenland. There is no better time than the winter mating season when the male humpbacks, eager to impress the females, are most animated, and when newborn calves can be seen swimming alongside their mothers.
About Humpback Whales
Humpbacks are air-breathing mammals belonging to the group known as “great whales”. Adults measure 40-50 ft/12-15 m and weigh 30-40 tons. Babies measure 10-15 ft/3-4.5 m and weigh 1.5-2 tons. When born they have little blubber (fat) to protect them from the cold water awaiting them in the north but grow quickly on the rich milk provided by their mother. Each day they drink 50 gallons of milk that is 50-60% fat and gain 100 pounds, much of which is blubber. By comparison, the milk of a human mother is 2% fat.
Adult humpbacks are black or dark gray with white patches on the flippers, the belly, and the underside of the tail. At first glance all look alike, but there are differences. The black and white pigmentation on the underside of the tail flukes is the most common means of distinguishing one from another. No two have the same markings, enabling whale scientists to identify humpbacks in the same way humans are by their fingerprints. Permanent scars, dorsal fin shape and other unique markings also help distinguish one from another.
