Do humpback whales use the stars to navigate? Scientists baffled by stunning accuracy of 10,000-mile migrations

21 April 2011 – Daily Mail Reporter

Humpback whales can travel thousands of miles deep underwater in an astonishingly straight line – and the sun, moon and stars may be why they never get lost.

photo:NOAA

Scientists used satellite technology to track 16 tagged whales as they migrated thousands of kilometres northwards from the South Atlantic and South Pacific – but could not work out how they manage to navigate their way through the ocean’s turbulent waters with such accuracy.