Marine researchers tracking blue whales in the Galápagos Islands faced an unexpected empty ocean during a recent nine-month expedition. Scientists dispatched by the Galápagos National Park Directorate searched historical feeding grounds from October 2025 to July 2026 to deploy satellite transmitters on the animals. Despite continuous searching, the team failed to spot a single blue whale throughout the entire monitoring period.
Water temperatures recorded during the survey revealed extreme conditions tied to an intensifying El Niño phase. Sea surface temperatures climbed between 77.9 and 81.6 degrees Fahrenheit, while subsurface readings at a depth of 328 feet remained well above seasonal averages. Oceanographic data also showed that the 68-degree isotherm sank much deeper than usual, stretching between 256 and 315 feet below the surface. This downward shift likely disrupted the delicate vertical alignment between the whales and their primary food source, krill.
Lead expedition scientist Daniela Alarcón noted that the marine mammals may have stayed further south in cooler, more food-dense waters. Although a citizen science network documented a rare sighting of an adult whale and calf near San Cristóbal after the formal survey concluded, the prolonged absence highlights how rapidly warming Pacific waters alter marine habitats. Researchers plan to pair these observational gaps with broader oceanographic data to better understand how warming cycles impact migratory marine species in the region.
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