A male humpback whale has set a new distance record by swimming an incredible 8,106 miles (13,046 km) across three oceans in search of sex. The whale’s epic journey took it from the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Colombia to the Indian Ocean off the coast of Zanzibar.
The whale likely swam eastward, riding on prevailing currents in the Southern Ocean and visiting humpback whale populations in the Atlantic Ocean along the way. This is a significant deviation from the usual migration patterns of humpback whales, which typically follow consistent routes between feeding grounds near the poles and breeding areas closer to the tropics.
The study, published in Royal Society Open Science, used photographs taken between 2013 and 2022 to track the whale’s movements. The images showed the same male whale in two locations off Colombia and five years later in the Zanzibar Channel, often accompanied by groups of competitive whales.
Researchers believe that the motivation for the journey was likely sex, with the male aiming to increase his chances of reproducing by mingling with other humpback whale populations. Other possible reasons for the whale’s unusual adventure include environmental shifts, climate change, and changes in humpback whale population growth.
This discovery highlights the flexibility of humpback whale migrations and provides valuable insights into their ecology. The study’s findings suggest that these whales are more adaptable than previously thought, capable of traveling significant distances to find suitable breeding grounds.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/animals/humpback-whales/male-humpback-whale-crossed-3-oceans-for-sex-inadvertently-breaking-distance-record-for-species