Females typically breed every two or three years. The gestation period is 11.5 months. The peak months for birth are January, February (northern hemisphere), July and August (southern hemisphere). Females wait for one to two years before breeding again. Recent research on mitochondrial DNA reveals that groups living in proximity to each other may represent distinct breeding pools. Humpback whale births have been rarely observed. One birth witnessed off Madagascar occurred within four minutes.
how long is the gestation period for humpback whales
11.5 months