Daniel Palacios, an oceanographer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, says that the record-breaking journey could indicate that migration patterns are shifting as populations begin to recover from near-extinction. Behaviours often change as population densities grow; for instance, animals may disperse to avoid competition for food, he says. But the real reasons for the whale’s impressive trek remain a mystery. The female could have been following prey, exploring new breeding habitats, responding to distant calls, or simply wandering astray. “We generally think of humpback whales as very well studied, but then they surprise us with things like this,” Palacios says. “Undoubtedly there are a lot of things we still don’t know about whale migration.”… Read ahead
Source: nature.com
Latest at nature.com
Animals have been on Earth for at least 650 million years, suggest recently found primitive sponge fossils from South Australia. This discovery pushes back the fossil record for animals by about 70 million years, according to a new study published in … 
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is overshadowing another catastrophe that’s also unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico this summer: The oxygen dissolved in the Gulf waters is disappearing. In some places, the oxygen is getting so scarce that fish and other … 
Beyond Petroleum”) Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion on April 20. It’s the largest marine oil spill ever in the petroleum industry. Environmental scientists are still assessing the long-term damage that will affect wildlife in the area. “The Phoenix Zoo is proud to be a small part of the effort to save and rescue animals affected by the oil spill,” says Dan Subaitis, Director of Animal Management for the Phoenix Zoo in an official release. A video of the pelicans hanging out in quarantine was just released by the Phoenix Zoo. Check it out … 
Hudson Bay have lost 25 percent of their population in the past three decades. During that time, the animals’ average body weight has dropped by 27 kilograms and females have lost 10 percent of their body length. Much, if not all, of this has been caused by the … 
In the 18th and 19th centuries, otters were hunted to near extinction for their pelts. By the 1970s, conservation efforts had boosted their numbers back up near 125,000 animals. But the population has been in decline again of late, with perhaps 70,000 remaining in the Pacific waters off North America. … 
Parks and her colleagues took to boats to approach surfacing whales, using poles to lower the recorders onto the animals’ backs. The recorders were held in place by suction cups programmed to drop off after a few hours and float to the surface, allowing the team to collect the recorded data. … 
Back in history, ancient cultures believed in such clearly retarded creatures as unicorns, manticores and gryphons; hybrid creatures made from various parts of other animals. Modern science has shown us that they may not have been complete idiots, though. With monsters like the gejigeji and sheepshead, we can see why the ancient world crapped its collective pants every time it encountered something other than a butterfly or kitten. …