 | Warning! |
This article contains information regarding Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and thus may contain spoilers. |
The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) was a sentient cetacean species indigenous to the oceans of Earth.
History
The humpback whale became extinct in the 21st century, due to over-hunting by Humans.
In the past, humpback whales had been in communication with an advanced alien civilization. After the humpbacks' extinction, the aliens dispatched a probe to Earth to determine why contact had been lost. The probe arrived in 2286 and, receiving no reply from any humpbacks, increased the intensity of its communication signal to the point that it began ionizing Earth's oceans, threatening the survival of the planet's population. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
Re-population
In order to retrieve humpback whales who could answer the alien probe, Admiral James T. Kirk and his crewmates traveled back in time on the "HMS Bounty" to 1986 San Francisco, California. They found two whales, a mated couple named George and Gracie, who were conveniently being held captive at the Cetacean Institute in Sausalito. Spock communicated their intentions to Gracie via mind meld and secured their agreement to assist.
The whales' care and study were overseen by Doctor Gillian Taylor. Taylor had developed an affectionate bond with the whales, and was distressed that they were due to be released into the Pacific Ocean where they would be vulnerable to whaling ships. Thus, she assisted Kirk's crew in tracking the whales and beaming them aboard the Bounty. Returning to the 23rd century, the whales were released into San Francisco Bay, whereupon they immediately began communicating with the probe. After the probe ceased its damaging signal and departed Earth, George and Gracie headed for the open ocean.
Information on, a model of, and a global map showing the range of this species was included in a display of other baleen whales that was seen in the Cetacean Institute in 1986. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
24th century and beyond
By the 2380s, humpback whales served in Cetacean Ops aboard Federation Starfleet ships both in the prime universe, as well as on Terran Imperial Starfleet ships in the mirror universe. (PRO: "Into the Breach, Part I", "Cracked Mirror")
Photo of a humpback whale
In 2380, Beckett Mariner included a photograph of a humpback whale on her conspiracy board. (LD: "Cupid's Errant Arrow")
Tarima Sadal had hoped to see migrating humpback whales when she visited Starfleet Academy in San Francisco in 3195, but the whales did not appear. Later, Caleb Mir took her to an underwater observation room at the Academy, where they met a pair of humpbacks. Tarima sensed that one of them was pregnant. (SA: "Beta Test")
Biology
Humpback whales were aquatic mammals that evolved approximately ten million years before modern Humans. Adults usually ranged between forty-five to fifty feet in length, and weighed about forty tons. This species was well known for its complex song, which was proven in 2286 to be a full-fledged language. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
Individuals
- Named
- Unnamed
- Unnamed humpback whales