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| Whale makes epic migration, astonishing scientists | Whale makes epic migration, astonishing scientists |
| (2 months later) | |
| This humpback whale, photographed here off the Pacific coast of Colombia, made an epic migration | This humpback whale, photographed here off the Pacific coast of Colombia, made an epic migration |
| A humpback whale has made one of the longest and most unusual migrations ever recorded, possibly driven by climate change, scientists say. | A humpback whale has made one of the longest and most unusual migrations ever recorded, possibly driven by climate change, scientists say. |
| It was seen in the Pacific Ocean off Colombia in 2017, then popped up several years later near Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean - a distance of at least 13,000 km. | It was seen in the Pacific Ocean off Colombia in 2017, then popped up several years later near Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean - a distance of at least 13,000 km. |
| The experts think this epic journey might be down to climate change depleting food stocks or perhaps an odyssey to find a mate. | The experts think this epic journey might be down to climate change depleting food stocks or perhaps an odyssey to find a mate. |
| Ekaterina Kalashnikova of the Tanzania Cetaceans Program said the feat was "truly impressive and unusual even for this highly migratory species". | Ekaterina Kalashnikova of the Tanzania Cetaceans Program said the feat was "truly impressive and unusual even for this highly migratory species". |
| The photograph below shows the same whale photographed in 2022, off the Zanzibar coast. | The photograph below shows the same whale photographed in 2022, off the Zanzibar coast. |
| The same whale just off Zanzibar, photographed in 2022 | The same whale just off Zanzibar, photographed in 2022 |
| Dr Kalashnikova said it was very likely the longest distance a humpback whale had ever been recorded travelling. | Dr Kalashnikova said it was very likely the longest distance a humpback whale had ever been recorded travelling. |
| Humpback whales live in all oceans around the world. They travel long distances every year and have one of the longest migrations of any mammal, swimming from tropical breeding grounds to feeding grounds in cooler waters. | Humpback whales live in all oceans around the world. They travel long distances every year and have one of the longest migrations of any mammal, swimming from tropical breeding grounds to feeding grounds in cooler waters. |
| But this male's journey was even more spectacular, involving two distant breeding grounds. | But this male's journey was even more spectacular, involving two distant breeding grounds. |
| One theory is that climate change is altering the abundance of the tiny shrimplike krill humpback whales feed on, forcing them to travel further in search of food. | One theory is that climate change is altering the abundance of the tiny shrimplike krill humpback whales feed on, forcing them to travel further in search of food. |
| Too hot for humpbacks: The race to protect Pacific whales | Too hot for humpbacks: The race to protect Pacific whales |
| Following Antarctic whales for climate change clues | Following Antarctic whales for climate change clues |
| Alternatively, whales may be exploring new breeding grounds as populations rebound through global conservation efforts. | Alternatively, whales may be exploring new breeding grounds as populations rebound through global conservation efforts. |
| "While actual reasons are unknown, amongst the drivers there might be global changes in the climate, extreme environmental events (that are more frequent nowadays), and evolutionary mechanisms of the species," said Dr Kalashnikova. | "While actual reasons are unknown, amongst the drivers there might be global changes in the climate, extreme environmental events (that are more frequent nowadays), and evolutionary mechanisms of the species," said Dr Kalashnikova. |
| The wandering male was among a group of humpbacks photographed from a research vessel on the Pacific coast of Colombia in 2013. | The wandering male was among a group of humpbacks photographed from a research vessel on the Pacific coast of Colombia in 2013. |
| He was then identified in a similar area in 2017 - and off Zanzibar in 2022. | He was then identified in a similar area in 2017 - and off Zanzibar in 2022. |
| The sightings are separated by a 13,046 km great-circle distance - the minimum distance for the route the whale might have taken, the scientists say, though it is likely to be much greater. | The sightings are separated by a 13,046 km great-circle distance - the minimum distance for the route the whale might have taken, the scientists say, though it is likely to be much greater. |
| Since the earth is a sphere, the shortest path between two points is expressed by the great circle distance, which corresponds to an arc linking two points on a sphere. | Since the earth is a sphere, the shortest path between two points is expressed by the great circle distance, which corresponds to an arc linking two points on a sphere. |
| The paperʻs findings are based on hundreds of thousands of photos of whales submitted by researchers, whale watchers and members of the public to the citizen science website, happywhale.com. | The paperʻs findings are based on hundreds of thousands of photos of whales submitted by researchers, whale watchers and members of the public to the citizen science website, happywhale.com. |
| The database uses artificial intelligence to match the individual shapes and patterns of humpback whale tails, or flukes, thereby mapping their movements around the globe. | The database uses artificial intelligence to match the individual shapes and patterns of humpback whale tails, or flukes, thereby mapping their movements around the globe. |
| The research is published in the journal, Royal Society Open Science. | |
| Find out more about humpback whales in The Secret's of Antarctica's Giants on BBC iPlayer. | Find out more about humpback whales in The Secret's of Antarctica's Giants on BBC iPlayer. |
| Humpbacks migrate annually from summer feeding grounds near the poles to warmer winter breeding waters closer to the Equator | Humpbacks migrate annually from summer feeding grounds near the poles to warmer winter breeding waters closer to the Equator |
| Sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to get exclusive insight on the latest climate and environment news from the BBC's Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt, delivered to your inbox every week. Outside the UK? Sign up to our international newsletter here. | Sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to get exclusive insight on the latest climate and environment news from the BBC's Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt, delivered to your inbox every week. Outside the UK? Sign up to our international newsletter here. |