After the worldwide moratorium on whaling, humpback whale populations began to recover, reoccupying former areas of use, as also observed on the Brazilian coast. Abrolhos Bank represents the area of greatest humpback whale concentration but the number of individuals to the north has increased, as has happened in the region of Serra Grande. To compare relative abundance, habitat use, and movement patterns between a well‐establi...

A bstract We describe a novel behavior, termed “tail‐up,” observed in humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) on wintering grounds on Abrolhos Bank, Brazil. The behavior involves the whale positioned vertically in the water column with its tail in the air. With the exception of calves, tail‐up was observed in all social classes, and its frequency increased through the end of the season. Tail‐ups were recorded in 144 (5.8%)...