Twillingate’s waters are visited by many different types of wildlife each year. While birds such as Bald Eagles, Gannets, Great Cormorants and Guillemots fly above the water, whales, dolphins and many different types of fish swim below. While we often see minke whales, orcas and belugas, the most common is the humpback. Ranging in length from 48 ft to 62.5 ft (relatively the length of a standard school bus) and weighing approximately 40 tons, these gigantic mammals are a whale-watcher’s dream. Humpbacks migrate to Twillingate’s shores in the summer months as they chase caplin (small fish which humpbacks feed on). Humpbacks are known for putting on a display for onlookers as the whale who shows its tail. When humpbacks are preparing to make a deeper dive into the ocean, they arch their backs and raise their tails completely out of the water – a sight many photographers like to capture. They are also known for playfully splashing their fins in the water and leaping from the ocean in what is known as a “full breach”. It is a spectacular show to watch these 40-ton mammals come completely out of the water and crash into the ocean’s surface, creating a massive splash and waves. The reason why they do this is not fully understood, but scientists believe it is either an attempt to remove pests from the whales’ skin or simply to have fun.