( CNN ) A North Pacific gray whale has earned a spot in the record books after completing the longest migration of a mammal ever recorded . The whale , named Varvara , swam nearly 14,000 miles ( 22,500 kilometers ) , according to a release from Oregon State University , whose scientists helped conduct the whale-tracking study . Varvara , which is Russian for `` Barbara , '' left her primary feeding ground off Russia 's Sakhalin Island to cross the Pacific Ocean and down the West Coast of the United States to Baja , Mexico . Varvara 's journey surpassed a record listed on the Guinness Worlds Records website . It said the previous record was set by a humpback whale that swam a mere 10,190-mile round trip between the `` warm breeding waters near the equator and the colder food-rich waters of the Arctic and Antarctic regions . '' Records are nice , but Bruce Mate , the lead author of the study , thinks the long trip might say more about the whale than just its ability to swim . During her 14,000-mile journey , Varvara visited `` three major breeding areas for eastern gray whales , '' which was a surprise to Mate , who is also the director of the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University . `` For her to go to Mexico , '' Mate said , `` It 's pretty strong evidence that it 's where she 's from . '' Varvara was thought to be an endangered western whale , but her ability to `` navigate across open water over tremendously long distances is impressive , '' he said in the release , which could mean that some western gray whales are actually eastern grays . With only 150 western gray whales believed to be in existence , that number might be even lower . `` Past studies have indicated genetic differentiation between the species , but this suggests we may need to take a closer look , '' Mate said . Fourth baby orca born this season .
The whale , Varvara , swam a round trip from Russia to Mexico , more than 10,000 miles . The previous record was set by a humpback whale that migrated nearly 14,000 miles .