Whales are considered to be one of the largest animals on Earth, typically measuring about 25 meters in length and weighing up to 90 tons. Although these mammals have been known from ancient times to the present day, and are even mentioned in myths and legends, scientists still know very little about them. For example, it wasn't until recently that researchers in the U.S. state of Hawaii recorded on video how whales prey on large schools of fish in clever ways. However, scientists are also very concerned about why these giant creatures swim more than 20,000 kilometers a year from cold waters to warmer regions. This migration required enormous effort, but it turned out that these mammals had to cross such long distances to replace their skins so as not to die from disease.
The latest discoveries from Oregon, USA, have been presented in the scientific journal Marine Mammal Science. Previously, scientists thought that whales only hunted and stored energy in the cold waters of the Arctic and Southern Oceans, and to reproduce and care for their offspring, they would swim to the warmer regions of the planet. However, by observing 60 whales with GPS sensors, the scientists noticed that some individuals swam tens of thousands of kilometers in a month. In addition, more whale pups have been found in colder regions of the planet than in warm regions. This means that they swim to warm regions not to reproduce, but for completely different reasons.
Why do whales migrate to warmer regions?
According to Robert Pitman, the head of the study, whales migrate to warmer regions to replace old skin. At the very least, traces of old skin that have been shed can be found in the warm waters of the planet. This hypothesis seems very realistic, because the whale skin replacement process only starts in warm environments and stops in cold waters. Algae layers are known to form on whales in the Arctic and Southern Oceans, which are breeding grounds for harmful bacteria.
Scientists believe that the slowdown in the skin replacement process in whales is related to the fact that their blood vessels contract in cold waters to maintain body temperature. As blood circulation slows down, so does the process of skin recovery. Perhaps whales swim to warm waters precisely because they need to dilate blood vessels and get rid of old skin with germs. This hypothesis seems closer to the truth than the theory that whales swim thousands of kilometers in order to reproduce.
Overall, scientists are puzzled not only by the mysterious migration of whales, but also by the reasons why certain aquatic life congregates in specific locations. For example, scientists have observed for years that white sharks congregate at the same location off the coast of Australia every year. It can be speculated that the predators simply wanted to prey on the seals that thrived in the area. However, it is confusing why they gather there, where even in summer there is little food available for them.
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