Australian researchers pored over 21 years of data about humpback whale migrations and found startling changes in their behavior.
What's happening?
Researchers at the University of Queensland looked at how humpback whale migrations have changed in the Southern Ocean between 2003 and 2024.
Movement data was gathered using acoustic sensors and land sightings. This tracked both individuals and female-calf pairs. Researchers concluded that since 2003, whales have started migrating three weeks earlier than before. This clear shift in timing began after 2021.
A major contributing factor to this change is that krill populations have been in steep decline.
Why are krill important?
Krill depend on sea ice for shelter and food. They feed on algae that grow on and in the ice. While the rebound of the humpback whale population is a welcome sight following extensive hunting up to 1986, melting sea ice and warming ocean temperatures are threatening their primary food source.
Humpback whales can eat about 17 tons of krill every day. With reduced caloric intake, these whales may have to further change their habits to suit more limited energy stores. This dietary change can include declining birth rates. Shifting food sources are threatening more than just whale survival.
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Whole ecosystems rely on the reintroduction of nutrients by way of whale feces. Whale poop can even help sequester atmospheric carbon by feeding phytoplankton and krill along perilous migration routes.
What's being done about Antarctic sea ice?
It's possible to combat Antarctic sea ice loss by reducing emissions. Trying a plant-based diet, upgrading to an EV and switching to a heat pump are some of the highest-impact actions available at an individual level.
The Queensland study doesn't go into causation, but it points to a few relevant factors.
"It highlights a strong correlation between changes in migratory timing and sea ice coverage in the whales' Antarctic feeding grounds," said the report. "The observed decline in sea ice area, combined with the large increase in the humpback whale population, are discussed as potential factors contributing to the shift in migratory timing."
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