For millennia, some of the world’s largest filter-feeding whales, including humpbacks, fin whales, and blue whales, have undertaken some of the longest migrations on earth to travel between their warm breeding grounds in the tropics to nutrient-rich feeding destinations in the poles each year.
“Nature has finely tuned these journeys, guided by memory and environmental cues that tell whales when to move and where to go,” said Trisha Atwood, an ecologist and associate professor at Utah State University’s Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. But, she said, climate change is “scrambling these signals,” forcing the marine mammals to veer off course. And they’re not alone.
Earlier this year, Atwood joined more than 70 other scientists to discuss the global impacts of climate change on migratory species in a workshop convened by the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. The organization monitors and protects more than 1,000 species that cross borders in search of food, mates, and favorable conditions to nurture their offspring.
This is an important topic that highlights the impact of climate change on marine life. It’s concerning to see how disruptions in migration patterns can affect these magnificent creatures and the ecosystems they inhabit. Thank you for bringing attention to this issue!
I completely agree, and it’s alarming to think about how these disruptions not only affect the whales and dolphins but also the entire marine ecosystem. Changes in migration patterns can impact prey availability and breeding grounds, creating a ripple effect throughout the ocean.
You’re right; it’s concerning how these disruptions can ripple through the entire marine ecosystem. Changes in whale and dolphin migration patterns can impact prey availability and even the health of marine habitats. It’s a reminder of how interconnected everything is in our oceans.