Humpback whales may be migratory astronomers

www.wired.com...

"An eight-year project that tracked humpback whale migrations by satellite shows the huge mammals follow uncannily straight paths for weeks at a time.

The results suggest a single migratory mechanism isn’t responsible. Instead, humpbacks may use a combination of the sun’s position, Earth’s magnetism and even star maps to guide their 10,000-mile journeys.

“Humpback whales are going across some of most turbulent waters in the world, yet they keep going straight,” said environmental scientist Travis Horton of the University of Canterbury, whose team will publish their findings April 20 in Biology Letters. “They’re orienting with something outside of themselves, not something internal.

Humpback whales feed during the summer near polar oceans and migrate to warm tropical oceans for the winter, where they mate and calves are born. A one-way trip can last upwards of 5,000 miles, making the cetaceans one of the farthest-migrating animals on Earth. (One was tracked migrating 6,200 miles)”

For the rest of article, along with photos check it out.

Pretty cool stuff, these whales might use the sun, and position of stars, along with other things invisible to us to travel. I think in the past we had more connection to the universe than we do today. Egyptians for example.

That is very cool!
I feel the same as you.
We were once far more connected than we presently are.

I have often wondered how whales do what they do..
and it makes sense that they would navigate the oceans just as sailors do (or did), By the Stars.
and/or who knows what else..
But I do personally feel that whales, and dolphins..
are further up on the evolutionary ladder than we could even fathom.

Perhaps when we 'stopped evolving' [by force] ( and this is up for discussion, lol),
The whales and dolphins had no dictators or fascists to hold them back and steer their evolution in one way or the other.. So they naturally just kept evolving... To where they are today....
Far more intelligent than human beings... and probably connected to The Universe (all that is) in ways that we cannot even begin to understand.

Cool post, thanks!

actually whale communication was greatly reduced when we started using sonar and filling the ocean with our ships. they probably used that for navigation back in the day beings how far it used to go and since have had to adapt. i wouldnt be surprised if this is a new form of navigation for them.

Originally posted by gougitousakusha
actually whale communication was greatly reduced when we started using sonar and filling the ocean with our ships. they probably used that for navigation back in the day beings how far it used to go and since have had to adapt. i wouldnt be surprised if this is a new form of navigation for them.

A very good point I think!
Very possible.

reply to post by gougitousakusha


I ask speculatively -how could we know?-

If they did change their old paths, does that mean their new path has less sonar and boats in the way? If it means that- do they have some of their old communication skills we messed up for them back?

That is a tough one for me to try and figure out !

But I went hump-back whale watching on a party boat and it was a great sight to watch.

I love animals so much. I wish most did, too!
It is sad that most people dont care about our animal brothers and sisters




Thanx for sharing
Star and flag for that and for opening up more to think about