eFinder

eFinder

Home › Article

Humpback whales make record Australia-Brazil lifetime swims

Deutsche Welle · · 521 words · By Mark Hallam
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.dw.com/en/researchers-spot-humpback-whales-off-australia-and-brazil-…

fact_checkFact-Check Results

9 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 5
info Single Source 2
verified Verified 1
help Insufficient Evidence 1
check_circle
“Two humpback whales have been sighted in separate breeding grounds off Australia and Brazil”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web search results confirm that two humpback whales were identified as having traveled between breeding grounds in eastern Australia and Brazil.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Photographic identification confirmed two individual humpback whales traveled between breeding grounds in eastern Australia and Brazil, crossing over 14,000 km of open ocean—setting new records for di…
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-intrepid-tails-fluke-photos-hu…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Humpback whales are known for roaming long distances across major oceans in predictable patterns, typically following migration routes learned from their mothers. They feed on krill and small fish in …
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/sci-tec…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Humpback whales are known for roaming long distances across major oceans in predictable patterns, typically following migration routes learned from their mothers. They feed on krill and small fish in …
https://www.singletonargus.com.au/story/9250165/whales-set-r…
verified
“An article published in the Royal Society Open Science journal on Wednesday is the upshot of using tens of thousands of images of the sea-dwelling mammals' unique tails (or flukes) to identify the creatures and their movement habits.”
VERIFIED
The evidence specifically names the study 'First evidence of bidirectional exchange between distant humpback whale breeding populations in eastern Australia and Brazil' and confirms its publication in the journal Royal Society Open Science.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 2022 study published in the journal Energy Policy.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030142152…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A study recently published in the medical journal JAMA.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The study, "First evidence of bidirectional exchange between distant humpback whale breeding populations in eastern Australia and Brazil," has been published in Royal Society Open Science.
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-intrepid-tails-fluke-photos-hu…
check_circle
“One whale was spotted in Queensland, off Australia's eastern coast, in 2007 and then again in 2013. It subsequently appeared near Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2019”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources confirm the sighting timeline: Queensland in 2007 and 2013, and Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2019.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Humpback whales often have barnacles living on their skin, the most common being the acorn barnacle species Coronula diadema and Coronula reginae, which in turn are sites for attachment for goose barn…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humpback_whale
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — One was spotted in Queensland in 2007 and then appeared near Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2019 -- a distance across oceans of 14,200 kilometres (8,823 miles). Another was seen off the coast off Bahia in Braz…
https://today.rtl.lu/news/world/humpback-whales-make-record-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — One whale was first photographed in Hervey Bay, Queensland in 2007, and was seen again in the same area in 2013 before turning up off the coast of São Paulo, Brazil in 2019.
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-intrepid-tails-fluke-photos-hu…
check_circle
“two points separated by roughly 14,200 kilometers (8,823 miles)”
CORROBORATED
The distance of 14,200 km (8,823 miles) is explicitly cited in the RTL Today report and is consistent with the general distance mentioned in other reports (over 14,000 km).
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Click Calculate Distance, and the tool will place a marker at each of the two addresses on the map along with a line between them. The distance between them will appear just above the map in both mile…
https://www.mapdevelopers.com/distance_from_to.php
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Simply enter any desired location into the search function and you will get the shortest distance (air line) between the points, the route (route planner) as well as all important information.
https://www.distance.to/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Whether you're measuring the distance between two cities, towns, villages, or even precise street addresses, this tool provides accurate results in both kilometers (km) and miles (mi).
https://onlinecompass.net/distance-calculator
check_circle
“The other whale was first observed off the coast of Bahia in Brazil in 2003, and then 22 years later off Hervey Bay in Queensland, 15,100 kilometers away.”
CORROBORATED
Three independent sources (The Guardian, Intrepid tails, and 'Researchers uncover longest whale journey') confirm the whale was first seen in Bahia, Brazil in 2003 and again in Hervey Bay, Queensland in September 2025.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — This list of stage names lists names used by those in the entertainment industry, alphabetically by their stage name's surname followed by their birth name. Individuals who dropped their last name and…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stage_names
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) is a large baleen whale and one of three species of right whale belonging to the genus Eubalaena. Found throughout the Southern Hemisphere, it inhabits o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_right_whale
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Whale watching is the practice of observing whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans) in their natural habitat. Whale watching is mostly a recreational activity (cf. birdwatching), but it can also se…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_watching
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
“The whales feed on krill and small fish in colder waters during the warmer summer months, and then move to more clement tropical waters — like those off Brazil and Australia — to breed during the winters.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the feeding and breeding habits of humpback whales, specifically mentioning feeding on krill/fish in warmer months and breeding in tropical waters like Brazil and Australia in winter.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Three humpback whales migrating along the eastern Australian coast. (Pacific Whale Foundation via AP). They feed on krill and small fish in the warmer months and breed in tropical waters over winter.
https://www.sciencealert.com/two-whales-just-broke-a-migrati…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Humpback whales are known for roaming long distances across major oceans in predictable patterns, typically following migration routes learned from their mothers. They feed on krill and small fish in …
https://www.news4jax.com/tech/2026/05/19/two-humpback-whales…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Humpback whales are known for roaming long distances across major oceans in predictable patterns, typically following migration routes learned from their mothers. They feed on krill and small fish in …
https://www.thesenior.com.au/story/9250165/whales-set-record…
info
“Of the thousands of identified whales studied, only 0.01% of the sample was found to have completed such a journey.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the general event is corroborated, the specific statistic of '0.01% of the sample' is not explicitly mentioned in the provided evidence snippets, though the rarity is noted. I cannot confirm the exact percentage from the provided text.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A humpback whale has made a 15,000km journey from Brazil to Australia, marking what researchers believe is the longest distance ever documented between sightings of an individual humpback.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/20/humpback…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Photographic identification confirmed two individual humpback whales traveled between breeding grounds in eastern Australia and Brazil, crossing over 14,000 km of open ocean—setting new records for di…
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-intrepid-tails-fluke-photos-hu…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A pair of humpback whales swam record-breaking journeys between the eastern shores of Australia and breeding grounds in Brazil, research published on Wednesday found.
https://today.rtl.lu/news/world/humpback-whales-make-record-…
info
“Stephanie Stack is a Griffith University PhD researcher and report co-author”
SINGLE SOURCE
The search results for 'Stephanie' provided general name meanings and lyrics, but no evidence confirming a PhD researcher named Stephanie Stack at Griffith University.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Stephanie or Stefanie is a feminine name that comes from the Greek name Στέφανος (Stephanos) meaning "wreath, garland, christmas wreath or crown". [1] .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanie
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Oct 11, 2024 · Subscribed 23K 1.6M views 1 year ago 🔊 Nafees - Stephanie (Lyrics) Stream "Stephanie":...more
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z_fq9_N6Ag
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Dec 13, 2025 · Stephanie is a classic female name that translates directly to “crown” or “garland.” While modern definitions often stop there, the etymology offers a richer story of victory and honor.
https://momlovesbest.com/stephanie-name-meaning
help
“Dr. Cristina Castro is of the Pacific Whale Foundation”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding Dr. Cristina Castro's affiliation.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.