A humpback whale has made headlines by traveling over 12,000 kilometers across three oceans, from the Pacific coast of Colombia to Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean. This remarkable journey is now recognized as the longest recorded migration for this species, leaving marine biologists intrigued and raising new questions about the reasons behind such an extraordinary movement.
Humpback whales are renowned for their long migrations, which are among the most extensive of any mammal. Typically, their routes follow a north-south direction, migrating between feeding grounds in cold waters and breeding areas in tropical regions. However, this whale's path defied that traditional pattern.
Ekaterina Kalashnikova, a researcher at the Bazaruto Scientific Studies Center and lead author of the study published in Royal Society Open Science, described this journey as “truly impressive and unusual, even for this highly migratory species.” Researchers speculate that the whale may have swum towards Antarctica before turning towards the eastern coast of Africa, further extending its journey.
The biological reasons behind this behavior remain a mystery. Experts note that humpback whales are social species that migrate in defined groups and rarely cross oceans from east to west. However, this whale's journey challenges that norm, indicating a possible alteration in its usual migratory behavior.