Humpback whale calf births drop in Brazil due to climate concerns

The humpback whale season in Brazil has concluded with a significant decline in newborn sightings. Data from the Instituto Baleia Jubarte indicates that until September, the proportion of calves within the observed population was only 3.35%, a sharp decrease from the historical average of 9.98% recorded since 2014.

Researchers suggest that global warming may be the primary cause, potentially affecting the availability of krill in the Antarctic. Since humpback whales rely almost exclusively on these small crustaceans to build fat reserves for their migration and nursing, insufficient feeding can lead to lower fertility or the loss of calves during gestation.

The monitoring, conducted via daily observations on transport vessels between Bahia and Espírito Santo, as well as scientific cruises in the Abrolhos Archipelago, confirms that birth rates are well below recent records, such as the 16.69% peak seen in 2024.