The Salvador Whale Heritage Area

The Salvador Whale Heritage Area is a nursery for South Atlantic humpback whales, which migrate over 4,000 km from polar regions to tropical waters for breeding and the initial development of their calves. Their global population is recovering, with around 80,000 individuals, supporting tourism and ecological balance. Two resident dolphin species, the Bottlenose dolphin and Guiana dolphin, also inhabit the area. Salvador’s history is deeply linked to whales, as many humpback whales, minke whales, and sperm whales were hunted during Brazil’s colonial era. 

Humpback whales are susceptible to becoming entangled in fishing nets. They have a habit of jumping out of the water and swimming near the surface, which puts them at risk of collisions with vessels, especially in areas with high maritime traffic. Human activities such as shipping, offshore construction, and oil and gas exploration can generate high levels of underwater noise, which can disturb humpback whales and interfere with their communications, migrations, and feeding behaviours. In addition, changes in patterns of prey availability, such as declining schools of fish due to overfishing and climate change, can affect humpback feeding. Furthermore, climate change, such as rising ocean temperatures and changes in ocean current patterns can affect marine ecosystems and consequently the availability of food for humpbacks. Finally, they are also threatened by pollution and contamination such as oil spills, improper disposal of plastic waste, and chemical pollution, which can contaminate their habitats. 

• Adult humpback whales, despite weighing approximately 50 tonnes and measuring around 16 metres in length, have 70 per cent of their bodies out of the water when they breach. 
• One humpback was initially photographed off Bahia in 2003 and was resighted 22 years later in 2025 in Hervey Bay, Australia (another Whale Heritage Area) — a straight-line distance of 15,100 kilometres (roughly 9,300 miles).  
• Humpback whales are famous for their ability to sing. Males produce complex, melodic songs that can last up to 20 minutes and are repeated for hours. Each humpback whale population has its own distinct repertoire of songs, and these vocalisation patterns evolve and change over time. The exact purpose of these songs is not yet fully understood, but they play an important role in the whales’ communication and reproduction.