For a long time, the sight of a whale floating upside down on the ocean surface was often misunderstood as an indication that the animal was sick, injured, or stranded. However, a recent study published in the journal Mammalian Biology dispels this misconception by revealing a different biological fact.
Through intensive observations using drone technology, researchers monitored the migration of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) traveling a distance of 6,000 kilometers between the waters of Western Australia and the Antarctic region. The collected data shows that this upside-down floating behavior has no connection whatsoever to health issues or deteriorating physiological conditions.
In-depth analysis revealed that this unique position is actually a resting strategy used by mother whales. This activity was consistently observed in mothers who had recently given birth as well as those in the late stages of pregnancy. Mother whales use this position to recover energy after the demanding task of caring for their calves in open waters.
In observations of 59 mother-calf pairs, approximately 25% of mother whales exhibited this behavior for nearly 19% of the total observation period. These findings provide marine scientists with a new perspective on understanding the behavioral patterns and rest needs of large whale species during challenging migration periods.
