Record-breaking migration of humpback whale in search of new breeding grounds

A humpback whale has broken the record for the longest known migration between breeding grounds, spanning over 8,000 miles and three oceans. Scientists believe that climate change and competition for mates or food may be driving these unprecedented migrations to new breeding areas. The whale was first spotted off the Pacific coast of Colombia in 2013, then in a similar area in 2017, and later off the coast of Zanzibar in 2022. This remarkable journey is equivalent to swimming from London to Tokyo and partway back. The exact reason behind this exceptionally long migration is still unknown, but it is believed that humpback whales travel annually between feeding and breeding grounds to give birth in warmer waters that are relatively scarce in food. The research was based on photos submitted to the citizen science website happywhale.com, where people around the world map the movement of whales. The database uses artificial intelligence to analyze the photos and identify individual whales based on their unique shapes and markings. This discovery emphasizes the incredible distances that humpback whales travel and sheds light on the behavior of these majestic creatures.

Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com