Two humpback whales set records swimming between Australia and Brazil
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Scientists have identified two humpback whales that made record-breaking migrations of over 9,300 miles between breeding sites in Australia and Brazil, traveling in opposite directions.
- The whales were recognized using tail markings through analysis of over 19,000 images collected over four decades by researchers and citizen scientists.
- These findings challenge previous assumptions about the separation of humpback whale populations and highlight their extensive migratory capabilities.
- The study, published in Royal Society Open Science, suggests that changes in feeding grounds or social interactions may explain these unusual long-distance crossings.
- Understanding such migrations is important for tracking humpback whales amid climate change, which may alter ocean conditions and whale habitats.