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Large whales, including humpbacks, are known for their migrations surrounding their feeding habits in the colders areas of the globe. Typically, these large mammals travel into extreme northern and southern degrees in order to feed on krill. Although the size of their prey is small, these massive filter feeders have found the methods that work.
In the cooler latitudes of the oceans, the krill can be found in large numbers. However, a recent trend of humpback whales coming into the Mediterranean Sea to feed may indicate a problem with these traditional food sources.
Scientists at the University of Seville are baffled by the continuing rise of humpback whales in the Mediterranean Sea. The increase has been documented over the last 150 years.
The data shows that most of the whales that enter the sea to feed are younger. The majority of the whales are also alone. The director of the Marine Biology Laboratory, Jose Carlos Garcia-Gomez, had this to say about the observations, “In recent years, there have been changes both in climatic conditions and in the temperature of the sea, something which has been verified by many studies. If we add the exact coincidence of krill blooms in the Strait of Gibraltar with the presence of these whales, this could perhaps tell us that, in the near future, sightings of this species could increase in the Mediterranean. For this reason, it is considered imperative to implement preventive contingency and conservation plans for the species in this sea.”
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