Two Humpback Whales Break Swimming Record Between Australia and Brazil

JAKARTA - Scientists have successfully discovered two humpback whales crossing separately and breaking the record for the distance between Australia and Brazil.

The whales were identified by their distinctive tail markings at two locations about 9,000 miles (14,500 kilometers) apart.

They traveled in opposite directions and covered more distance than any known humpback whale to date.

"This is a very rare event, but it is a very remarkable demonstration of how far these animals can reach," said Phillip Clapham, former head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) whale research program who was not involved in the new findings, reported by The Associated Press (25/5).

Humpback whales are known for travelling long distances in the great oceans in predictable patterns, usually following migration routes learned from their mothers.

They feed on krill and small fish in warmer months and breed in tropical waters during the winter. It's hard to keep track of the movements of creatures who spend most of their lives underwater.

In this new study, scientists analyzed more than 19,000 whale images taken in the last four decades by research groups and citizen scientists.

The recognition software helps identify whales based on patterns of color and the jagged edges of their tails. Researchers found two different whales in breeding locations in eastern Australia and Brazil over the years, suggesting they had crossed from one place to another.

One of the whales traveled more than 9,300 miles (15,000 kilometers), surpassing previous record holders, including humpback whales, who swam from Colombia to Zanzibar.

The findings were published on May 5 in the journal "Royal Society Open Science."

Because the photos only depict the whales at the beginning and end of their journey, researchers do not know the exact route they took.

Paus biasanya tidak melakukan perjalanan antar lokasi perkawinan, jadi belum jelas mengapa kedua paus ini memulai perjalanan mereka secara terpisah.

"They may have met other whales in the same feeding area and split up instead of returning to their home," Stephanie Stack, one of the study's authors from the Pacific Whale Foundation, said in an email.

"Finding not just one but two individuals who have crossed between Australia and Brazil challenges what we know about how separate these populations actually are," Stack said.

Such journeys are more difficult for whales in the Northern Hemisphere, where the great continents make traveling across the ocean more difficult.

Scientists say this record-breaking journey shows how far humpback whales can go.

The method could also help track them as climate change warms the oceans, which may change where krill live and where humpback whales might go to feed and breed.