[Top 10 Most Incredible Animal Journeys], "The Brazil and New Caledonia whales were clearly migrating away from low-latitude calving grounds towards high-latitude feeding grounds," said researcher Travis Horton, an environmental scientist at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. According to a study done at a French aquarium, when dolphins were presented with a magnetized device and a non-magnetized one, they were always quicker to approach the magnetic one. Some theorize they are used for sensing the amount of prey around the whale. and are areas of grown-out skin that protect the whale’s tiny whiskers. "Although we saw no clear relationship between solar and magnetic directional cues and whale headings, it is entirely possible that they are using both the sun and magnetic field in a coupled system of orientation," Horton said. Animal magnetism Receive mail from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors? Copyright © 2019 Apex Magnets. Sharks, dogs, birds, and plenty of others all have pretty direct links to Earth’s magnetic field. Pigeon enthusiasts are well aware that the birds can go astray during times of high solar activity, when disturbances in the magnetic field confuse them. The Sun goes through a cycle with an average length of about 11 years, though individual cycle lengths have ranged from eight to 17 years. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. the connection between animals and magnetism. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, [Images of whales being tagged], The humpbacks were tracked migrating southeastward from Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean and New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean and west-northwestward from the Pacific island of Rarotonga. The conclusion is that this ability to sense magnetism probably plays a part in helping them navigate across entire oceans. Analysis of whales stranded between 1712 and 2003 shows that more are stranded when solar activity is high. Make sure to check back with us for all the latest magnetic news and facts. Most magnetic field lines in the ocean run the same direction as the coastline. This theory isn’t totally unprecedented. Others say these hairs act like little antennas, picking up signals from Earth’s magnetic field, aiding them in their long migrations. While not related to whales, this adaptation certainly opens up the possibility that whales have similar equipment. . As the Sun disrupts the magnetic field whales can become confused, they say. Many people know about the dolphin’s use of echolocation. The project is a collaboration between Greenpeace and Nan Hauser, who studies humpback whales in the Cook Islands. Pigeons use such cells to sense the Earth's magnetic field to help in their navigation. All rights reserved. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. England: 020 794 25 155 (The Natural History Museum), Scotland: 01463 243 030 (Scottish Agricultural College), Wales: 01348 875 000 (Marine Environmental Monitoring), British Diver Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) on 01825 765546 or RSPCA on 0870 5555999. Another aspect for which the humpback is famous are the peculiar bumps around its mouth. Another seagoing creature uses magnetic receptors to find food. Analysis of whales stranded between 1712 and 2003 shows that more are stranded when solar activity is high. While not related to whales, this adaptation certainly opens up the possibility that whales have similar equipment. Gray whales …

"We believe that our research showing that more whales are beached during times when the Sun disrupts the Earth's magnetic field makes it a strong possibility that they do.". For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Sharks, dogs, birds, and plenty of others all have pretty direct links to Earth’s magnetic field. However, a record-setting female humpback was recently discovered traveling from Brazil to Madagascar, a voyage of at least 6,090 miles (9,800 km) — the longest documented migration by any mammal ever. One question that puzzles scientists is how whales and dolphins are able to navigate virtually empty stretches of water. You will receive a verification email shortly. Whales and dolphins spend their entire lives in the sea, crossing great distances of open ocean to reach feeding and breeding grounds. To learn more about these remarkable migrations, scientists embedded radio tags in the skin and blubber of 16 humpbacks and used satellites to track them from 2003 to 2010.