Humpback whales make the largest movement ever recorded between Brazil and Australia

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Tourism Dollar

BRL 5,388

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BRL 5,904

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Euro Tourism

BRL 6,152

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B3

Ibovespa

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BRL 5,181

-0.23%

Tourism Dollar

BRL 5,388

-0.04%

Euro Commercial

BRL 5,904

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BRL 6,152

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Humpback whales cross oceans, pass through Brazil and make the largest movement ever recorded

Two whales were identified on opposite sides of the planet, on a journey that may be related to the search for food in the face of climate change.

By Jornal Nacional

Two humpback whales traveled up to 15,200 kilometers between Brazil and Australia, in what researchers point out as the longest journey ever recorded by science for the species. Records show that the animals crossed different oceans, something that had not yet been documented.

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One of the whales was sighted in 2013 on the east coast of Australia and was identified again in 2019, in Ilhabela, on the coast of São Paulo.

The other was recorded in 2003 in the Abrolhos archipelago, in Bahia, and, 22 years later, appeared on the Australian coast. The route between the two points reaches approximately 15,200 kilometers.

Humpback whales cross oceans and pass through Brazil — Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo

The records were published in a UK scientific journal. According to Ecuadorian researcher Cristina Ayala, who led the study, this type of displacement may be related to climate change and food shortages.

"They are beings like us who are also thinking and choosing ways to survive in this world in the face of impacts, and their way of surviving possibly now is by moving and looking for better areas to live in," said the researcher.

How researchers identify whales

The identification was only possible thanks to the joint work of researchers from different parts of the world.

Just as humans have unique fingerprints, whales have their own markings and patterns on the underside of their tails. The shape, color and characteristics of the tails help researchers recognize each animal.

The photographs are gathered into databases that allow records taken in different countries to be compared.

The Happywhale website, created by researcher Ted Cheeseman, receives photos taken by researchers and the public. An algorithm crosses the images and can identify whether that same whale has already been recorded elsewhere on the planet.

According to Cheeseman, this system makes it possible to track the movements of animals over time.

Researcher Júlio Cardoso was responsible for the photograph that helped identify the passage of one of the Australian whales along the coast of São Paulo.

The work requires hours at sea, attention and patience to be able to register the animals.

"You have to have your camera ready, turned on, prepared. It's patience, good eyes and luck. Luck is fundamental for everything in life, but to see whales and take photographs, luck is also fundamental," he said.

The new findings help researchers better understand the movements of humpback whales and the possible effects of environmental changes on the species' behavior.

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