Humpback whale makes record migration to find new breeding grounds
A humpback whale has stunned scientists with a journey that spanned three oceans and more than 8,000 miles, setting the record for the longest known migration between breeding grounds.
The things whales do for love.
A humpback whale has stunned scientists with a journey that spanned three oceans and more than 8,000 miles, setting the record for the longest known migration between breeding grounds.
Scientists behind the research, published Wednesday in the journal Royal Society Open Science, suggest that the odyssey may be linked to climate change — which is affecting ocean conditions and depleting food stocks — or possibly a shift in mating strategies.
“Changing climatic and ocean conditions could be driving these migrations to new breeding grounds. It may also be a case that increased competition for mates or food is encouraging individuals to seek new opportunities,” said Darren Croft, professor of behavioral ecology at the U.K.’s University of Exeter and executive director of the Center for Whale Research.
The new research is an “incredible finding” that emphasizes the “remarkable distances” that this whale species travels, Croft told NBC News in an email on Wednesday.
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