Understanding Patterns Of Whale Migration
Whale migration patterns the world over demonstrate how truly complex whale life in our biosphere really is. The most penetrating question that continues to beguile marine biologists and those who specialize in whale species groups is why do these warm-blooded, complex and diverse mammal life forms migrate as they do in seasonal patterns?
As far as all of the varied whale species go, there doesn’t really seem to be one that doesn’t migrate. In fact, most end up on very long trips in order to travel from one area in a part of the world to another area in a different part of the world. Most patterns seem to show a migration from higher or lower latitudes to lower or higher latitudes elsewhere.
Normally, a typical whale will spend one part of the year feeding vigorously and then begin to migrate to a part of their particular ocean in order to begin the process of mating and then giving birth to a calf. These trips from feeding grounds to mating and birthing grounds can encompass thousands of miles of travel. This is an ancient act bred deeply into each species.
A typical example of such migratory activity is the blue whale. Almost every blue whale undertakes a migration, spending the summer in cooler waters in the Northern Hemisphere and building up fat stores from extensive feeding. Come winter, though, it begins a move to the South and the warmer waters that exist there. Why, though, does a blue whale moved in this particular pattern?
Most marine biologists have a couple of different answers, with the most common being that the whale has learned to evolve in order to take advantage of feeding opportunities existing in cooler waters but also to take advantage of birthing and mating environments in summer waters. These waters also give a calf born of a mother to learn how to begin to take care of itself in a more welcoming environment
What is for certain about these magnificent animals is that their lives are impressively complex and quite wonderful to behold. They can undertake migrations thousands of miles in length in order to carry out their full lives. Their behavior patterns are involved and ancient in ways we cannot understand, and these extremely intelligent mammals continue to beguile us immensely.
whale migration has long intrigued Allan Hoffland while watching whales along the East Coast of Southern Africa.
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Tags: Animal Behavior, Animalia, biology, Cetacea, Chordata, Education, Endangered Animals, Flora and Fauna, Mammalia, science, wildlife, Zoology