Scientists have discovered two humpback whales that completed separate record-breaking journeys between Australia and Brazil, travelling more than 14,500 kilometres apart in opposite directions. Identified through their unique tail markings, the whales covered greater distances than any humpbacks previously recorded.
Researchers analysed over 19,000 whale photographs collected over four decades by scientists and citizen observers. Using recognition software to match tail colour patterns and edges, they identified the two whales at breeding sites in eastern Australia and Brazil.
One whale travelled more than 15,000 kilometres, surpassing previous migration records, including a humpback that swam from Colombia to Zanzibar.
The findings, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, challenge previous ideas about how separate whale populations are and suggest humpbacks may be capable of travelling much farther than scientists once believed.
Researchers are still uncertain about the routes taken or why the whales made such unusual journeys. Experts say climate change and shifting food sources could also influence future migration patterns.