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Humpback Whales migrating north as climate change triggers ocean warming

The study will involve multiple cruises to the whales' feeding grounds in the Southern Ocean off Antarctica and the coastlines of the three continents where they breed

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In South Africa, the humpbacks, which eat phytoplankton and krill, have been seen in large numbers, known as super groups. (Bloomberg)

Antony Sguazzin | Bloomberg

2 min read Last Updated : Sep 23 2020 | 8:02 AM IST

Humpback whales are steadily moving north, and warmer seas and melting ice may be the reason.

The whales, which move between the Antarctic and the southern tips of three continents, will be the focus of a six-year, $5 million study into their migration routes by eight research institutions across South America, South Africa and Australia.

“Their migratory behavior is changing, they are going further and further north,” said Alakendra Roychoudhury, an environmental geochemist at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. “If the physical and chemical conditions of the oceans change, what will happen to the whales?”

The study will involve multiple cruises to the

Topics : Climate Change Whales ice melting Global Warming

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