Dolphin approaches killer whale, captured by the killer whale’s camera
University of British Columbia (A.Trites), Dalhousie University (S. Fortune), Hakai Institute (K. Holmes), Leibniz Zoo and Wildlife Institute (X. Cheng)
Killer whales and dolphins collaborate to catch salmon in the North Pacific Ocean, revealing new insights into the intricate social dynamics of marine mammals.
Using video cameras and sensors attached to nine killer whales, researchers observed four of them diving alongside a large group of white-tailed dolphins towards Chinook salmon hiding in deep waters off northern Vancouver Island. An additional three whales were tracked via drone. The killer whales consumed the salmon, leaving behind scraps that the dolphins scavenged.
“They collaborated to locate food,” states Sarah Fortune from Dalhousie University, Canada. “One might anthropomorphize this scenario and suggest that they’re hunting friends.”
Chinook salmon, or king salmon, can exceed a meter in length, making them often too large for dolphins to consume.
However, the whales off northern Vancouver Island are known for their hearty appetites, frequently tearing fish apart to share with their pod, which leaves behind blood, scales, and remnants for dolphins to eat. Researchers propose that dolphins assist whales in locating salmon.
In the video, six out of twelve whales directed their attention toward the dolphins, totaling 102 interactions. The four whales dove with the dolphins to depths of 60 meters, where it becomes dark and salmon can conceal themselves among rocks and crevices.
Though both species emitted clicking and buzzing sounds, data from the sensors indicated that the whales often reduced their echolocation activity, likely to “eavesdrop” on the dolphins. Since echolocation operates like a focused spotlight, having numerous dolphins scanning the waters could enhance the whales’ chances of finding fish, according to Fortune.
“It’s akin to turning on the high beams of a vehicle; the sound serves as the light,” she elaborates.
Prior to this, scientists have noted cooperation among various species, such as fish guiding octopuses to crustaceans and nectar birds leading humans to bee colonies. However, documented interactions between killer whales and other species have often involved predatory behaviors.
Recently, killer whales were reported to have rammed and sunk six sailing vessels around the Iberian Peninsula, suggesting they may be engaging with boats rather than attacking. They are playing with them.
Brittany Visona Kelly from the global conservation group Ocean Wise asserts that the dolphins in this study are not aiding the whales but scavenging leftovers. In a study she and her colleagues, including Lance Barrett-Leonard, revealed drone footage showing whales seemingly ignoring the dolphins, playing with them, and occasionally charging at them. Their findings suggest that dolphins primarily seek refuge from a specific group of mammal-eating killer whales, known as big killer whales, which tend to avoid resident orcas.
“We found no clear evidence that these interactions benefit killer whales,” Visona-Kelly concluded.
The study reported last month indicated that between 30 to 40 white-tailed dolphins encircled an emaciated killer whale known to researchers as “I76,” who remained submerged and did not reemerge. This suggests that the dolphins may have “exhausted I76, making it impossible for him to surface.”
Luke Rendell from the University of St. Andrews in the UK emphasized that the new research provides compelling evidence of cooperation, whether the whales are interpreting dolphin echolocation or drawn to the commotion as a potential indicator of fish.
“These animals are intelligent and possess adaptable behaviors,” he notes. “We witness a range of interactions between killer whales and dolphins, from the former preying on each other to playful interactions and collaborative efforts.”
Paleontologists have identified three new fossil species. Sivulliusalmo Alaskensis was found in a purine cream formation in northern Alaska, USA.
Chinook salmon (oncorhynchus tschawytscha). Image credit: US Geological Survey.
“Sivulliusalmo Alaskensis reveals significant insights,” remarked Dr. Patrick Druckenmiller, the director of the University of Alaska Museum in the North.
“Our research uncovers several additional species of ancient fish new to the Arctic, including two new pike species: Archaeosiilik Gilmulli and Nunikuluk Gracilis, as well as the oldest record within the group comprising carp and minnows.”
“Many fish we now consider unique to Alaska’s high-latitude environment existed alongside dinosaurs.”
The discovery of Sivulliusalmo Alaskensis adds an impressive 20 million years to the fossil history of the salmon family.
Previously, the oldest known salmonidae fossil was from British Columbia and Washington.
“It’s noteworthy that the Salmonidae, which typically thrives in cold water, adapted and flourished during the warm Cretaceous period, enduring for millions of years amidst significant geographical and climatic changes,” noted Andres Lopez, Fish Curator at the University of Alaska in the north.
“Even though the Arctic was warm during that era, there would still be substantial seasonal variations in temperature and sunlight, much like today.”
“Salmon were among the fish adept at navigating these dramatic shifts.”
“Despite the planet’s numerous geological and climatic transformations, the ancestors of the same species group persisted in dominating the region’s freshwater ecosystems.”
The new species is the latest finding from the Prin Creek Formation, renowned for its dinosaur fossils discovered along the Colville River in northern Alaska.
During the Cretaceous period, Alaska was significantly closer to the Arctic than it is today.
“Fish fossils are among the most abundant in the Purine Creek Formation, yet they are challenging to distinguish in the field,” stated Dr. Druckenmiller.
“Consequently, we transported the fine sand and gravel samples to our museum lab, where microscopic analysis revealed the bones and teeth.”
“Our new findings heavily rely on small, fossilized jaws, some of which are small enough to fit on the edge of a pencil eraser.”
For detailed examination, the researchers employed micro-computed tomography to digitally reconstruct the small jaws, teeth, and other bones.
“We identified very distinct jaws and other components of the salmon family, which were recognized as belonging to this lineage,” said Dr. Druckenmiller.
“The presence of salmonidae in the Cretaceous polar regions and their coexistence with common low-light fish from this period suggests that salmonidae likely thrived in northern climates.”
“The high latitudes of the northern regions may have been vibrant centers for their evolutionary development.”
This paper was published in the journal Paleontology papers.
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Donald B. Brinkman et al. 2025. Fish from the Purine Cream Formation in the northern slopes of Alaska: the pre-Cretaceous and their paleobiogeographic significance. Paleontology papers 11(3): E70014; doi: 10.1002/spp2.70014
I'Looking at artificial intelligence and ordering my groceries. Armed with my shopping list, enter each item into the search bar of the supermarket website, then click using your cursor. When you see what looks like a digital ghost, this is usually a mundane task that is mysteriously fixed. “Are you not just Indians?” my husband asks, peering over my shoulder.
I'm trying operatorOpenai's new AI “agent” is the manufacturer of ChatGpt. It was made available to UK users last month and has a similar text interface and conversation tone as ChatGpt, but rather than answering questions, it actually does do Things – if they involve navigating a web browser.
Soon after the large language model, AI agents are trumpeted as the next big thing, and you can see the appeal. Similar to Openai's offering, humanity introduced the “computer use” feature in Claude Chatbot towards the end of last year. Perplexity and Google have also released the “agent” feature for AI assistants, with more companies developing agents targeting specific tasks such as coding and research.
While there is debate about what is accurately counted as an AI agent, the general idea is that you need to be able to take action with a certain degree of autonomy. “As soon as you start performing an action outside the chat window, you'll be an agent from a chatbot,” says Margaret Mitchell, a leading ethics scientist at AI Company.
It's early. Most commercial agents still come with experimental disclaimers. Openai describes the operator as a “research preview.” Dozen eggs $31 Or you're trying to Return the groceries to the store They bought them. Depending on who you ask, agents are just the dawn of the future of AI that can shake up the next exaggerated high-tech or labor, rebuild the internet and change our lives.
“In principle, they're amazing because they can automate many drunk people,” says Gary Marcus, a scientist and skeptical linguistic model scientist at large. “But I don't think they'll work anytime soon, and it's partly an investment in hype.”
I sign up to the operator to see for myself. Grocery shopping seems like a good first job as there is no food at home. Once you enter your request, you will be asked if there is a shop or brand you like. I tell them to go with the cheapest person. A window will appear to display your web browser and search for “UK Online Grocery Delivery.” The mouse cursor selects the first result: ocado. Starts searching for requested items and filters the results by price. Select the product and click Add to trolley.
I was impressed by the operator's initiative. If only a description of a simple item such as “salmon” or “chicken” is given, it doesn't ask me any questions. Searching for eggs will help you pass through several non-egg items that appear as special offers. My list is looking for “several different vegetables.” Choose a broccoli head and ask if you want something else specific. I tell them to choose two more, and it goes for carrots and leeks – perhaps I chose myself. Encourage me, I ask you to add “sweet sweets” and literally watch as you type “sweet snacks” into the search bar. I don't know why I'm choosing 70% chocolate, but certainly not the cheapest option, but I don't like dark chocolate and I'll trade it for a Galaxy Bar.
Thomas Dohmke is the head of Github, which develops with an autonomous coding assistant called Project Padawan. Photo: DPA Picture Alliance/Alamy
When the operator realized that there was a minimum spend on Ocado, we bumped into a scratch. So, add more items to the list. You will then be logged in and the agent will encourage you to intervene. While users can take over the browser at any point in time, Openai says operators are designed to require “when entering sensitive information into the browser, such as login credentials and payment information.” Operators usually take constant screenshots to “see” what it is doing, but Openai says that they don't do this when the user controls it.
At checkout, you will be asked to complete the payment and test the water. But when I respond by asking for details of my card, I get the reins back. I have already provided Openai with payment info (operators need a ChatGPT Pro account that costs $200 a month), but I find it uncomfortable to share this directly with AI. I've ordered it and waited for next day delivery. But it doesn't solve dinner. Give the operator a new task. Can I order a cheeseburger and chips from a local highly rated restaurant? It asks for my postcode and then loads the Derveoo website and searches for “Cheeseburger”. Again, there is a pause when you need to log in, but Derveoo already stores the card details, so the operator can proceed to pay directly.
The restaurant it chooses is local and highly rated as a fish and chip shop. I'll end up with a big bag of total cheeseburger and chippy style chips. It's not what I imagined, but it's not I'm wrongeither. However, I am regretted when I realized that the operator was skipping the delivery rider conversion. I secretly take my food and add generous tips after the fact.
Of course, seeing operators hold actions will beat the time saving points of using AI agents for online tasks. Instead, you can keep it working in the background, focusing on other tabs. While drafting this piece, I make another request: Can it be booked for gel nail polish at a local salon?
Operators are struggling with this task more. I go to Frasha, a beauty booking platform, but when I was prompted to log in, I find myself choosing to book an hour or more by car, a week behind my house in East London. I point out these issues and it finds a slot for the right date, but it's still far away from Leicester Square. Only then will it ask my location and I recognize that it should not retain this knowledge between tasks. By this point I might have already booked my own. The operator will ultimately propose a proper appointment, but I will abandon the task and choke it up as a team human victory.
AI Shopping Assistants need to pause and human input when logging in to supermarket websites or making payments online. Photo: Marco Marca/Getty Images
It is clear that this first generation AI agent has limitations. It requires a considerable amount of human monitoring to stop and log in. However, operators store cookies so that users can continue to log in to the website on subsequent visits (Openai requires closer supervision on “particularly sensitive” sites, such as email clients and financial services). The results are usually accurate, but not necessarily my own. When my groceries arrived, I see that the operator ordered smoked salmon rather than fillets, and was twice as many with yogurt as a special offer. I interpreted “some fish cakes” as 3 packs (I intended only one), and saved the insult of buying chocolate milk instead of plain because the product was out of stock. To be fair to the bots, I had the opportunity to review the order. You will get better results if you get more specific at the prompt (“Pack of two raw salmon fillets”), but these additional steps will also undermine the saved effort.
Despite the current flaws, my experience with the operator feels like a glimpse of what's coming. As such systems improved and reduced costs, I was able to easily see them embedded in everyday life. You may already have written your shopping list on the app. Why doesn't it place an order? Agents also permeate workflows beyond the realm of personal assistants. Openai CEO Sam Altman predicts that AI agents will be able to “join the workforce” this year.
Software developers are one of the early adopters. Coding Platform Github Recently added agent features For AI Copilot tools. Github CEO Thomas Dohmke says developers are used to some degree of automated assistance. The difference between AI agents is the level of autonomy. “Not only gives the answer by asking a question, but you'll have a problem and then repeat it with the code you can access,” he says.
GitHub is already working on a more autonomous agent called Project Padawan ( Star Wars (a term used to refer to Jedi apprentice). This allows AI agents to work asynchronously rather than requiring constant monitoring. Developers can report the agent's team to them and write code for review. Dohmke says he doesn't think the developer's work is at risk. “I argue that the amount of work that AI has added to most developers' backlogs is higher than the amount of work it takes over,” he says. Agents can also create coding tasks that are more accessible to non-technical people, such as building apps.
AI company Margaret Mitchell warns against the development of fully autonomous agents. Photo: Bloomberg/Getty Images
Outside of software development, Dohmke envisions a future where everyone has their own personal Jarvis. Iron Man. Your agent will learn your habits and be customized to your tastes, making it more convenient. He used him to book holidays for his family.
But more autonomous agents have greater risks than they pose. Mitchell, from her hugging face, I co-authored the paper Warning against the development of fully autonomous agents. “Completely autonomously means that human control has been completely transferred,” she says. Rather than working within a set boundary, an agent that is completely autonomous can access things that don't notice or work in unexpected ways, especially if they can write their own code. If your AI agent makes a mistake in ordering takeout, that's not a big deal, but what if you start sharing your personal information or posting under the name of scary social media content on a scam website? High-risk workplaces can implement particularly dangerous scenarios. What if I have access to the missile command system?
Mitchell hopes engineers, legislators and policymakers will encourage guardrails to mitigate such cases. For now, she foresees that the agent's abilities will become more refined for certain tasks. Immediately, I watch the agent interact with it. For example, an agent could work with my agent to set up a meeting.
This surge in agents could potentially rebuild the internet. Currently, much of the information online is specialized in human language, but this can change if AIS is increasingly interacting with websites. “Through the Internet, you're seeing more and more information that agents need to act on, although not directly in human language,” says Mitchell.
Dohmke echoes this idea. He believes that the concept of homepages will lose importance and design interfaces with AI agents in mind. Brands may begin to compete for AI attention over the human eyeballs.
One day, the agent even escapes the computer range. You can see AI agents embodied in robots, which will open up a world of physical tasks for them to help. “My prediction is to see agents who can do our laundry, cook and cook for us,” says Mitchell. “Don't give us access to the weapon.”
An orca was spotted balancing a salmon on its head in coastal waters off Washington state.
It's not clear what this behavior means, but killer whales have been previously observed performing the same behavior in the 1980s.
Southern killer whales are critically endangered and may be on their way to extinction.
Recently, a fascinating sight was witnessed off the coast of Washington state where an orca was seen balancing a salmon on its head, surprising both scientists and killer whale enthusiasts.
This particular endangered Southern killer whale, known as J27 or Blackberry, was spotted wearing a hat made of salmon near Point No Point in late October. According to Orca Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to species conservation.
This behavior of carrying salmon on their heads was previously observed in killer whales in the late 1980s, as mentioned by Deborah Giles, director of scientific research at Wild Orca. However, the significance of this behavior remains unclear.
Giles, who spends a significant amount of time studying orcas, witnessed another instance of this behavior recently, suggesting that it might be a common occurrence among southern killer whales.
The behavior of balancing a salmon on their heads could be attributed to various reasons such as sharing food with other pod members or using it as part of their social interactions. Nevertheless, this behavior indicates that the whales are well-fed and can engage in playful activities.
Despite conservation efforts, Southern killer whales are facing numerous threats that have contributed to their critically endangered status. The decline in prey availability, pollution, and disturbance from human activities are some of the key challenges faced by these whales.
Efforts are being made to protect and recover the Southern killer whale population, but more needs to be done to ensure their survival in the long run.
Salmon will soon be able to migrate freely up the Klamath River and its tributaries, marking a significant milestone in the watershed near the California-Oregon border. The largest dam removal project in American history is reaching completion.
This week, excavators will destroy rock dams that have been obstructing water flow upstream on two rivers. Two embankments, Iron Gate and Copco No. 1, which were almost completely removed, will now allow the river to flow freely through its historic channel, providing salmon access to vital habitat just in time for the fall king salmon season.
A Yurok tribal member leads a redwood canoe tour on the lower Klamath River in Klamath, California, on June 8, 2021. As salmon in the Klamath River decline, the Yurok Tribe is turning to alternative sources of revenue, such as ecotourism and canoe tours, to support the tribe. Nathan Howard/AP File
“Seeing the river return to its original course and the dams removed bodes well for our future,” said Leaf Hillman, a ceremonial leader for the Karuk people who have been advocating for Klamath dam removal for over 25 years. This is crucial for the tribe and others in the region.
The demolition precedes the anticipated completion of the removal of four massive dams on the Klamath River by about a month. This is part of a national movement to restore rivers to their natural state and revive ecosystems for fish and wildlife.
Since February, over 2,000 dams have been removed in the United States, with many removed in the past 25 years, according to the environmental group American Rivers, including dams on the Elwha River in Washington state and Condit Dam on the White Salmon River, a tributary of the Columbia River.
“Now is when the healing process truly begins for the river,” said Joshua Chenoweth, a senior ecologist with the Yurok Tribe, who has long advocated for dam removal and river restoration. “Removing the dams allows the river to naturally restore itself.”
The Klamath River, once a prominent salmon-producing region, saw a drastic decline in fish populations due to dams built by PacifiCorp between 1918 and 1962. These dams disrupted the river’s natural flow and impacted the salmon’s life cycle.
Efforts to remove the dams intensified after a bacterial outbreak in 2002 killed thousands of fish, mainly Chinook salmon, prompting tribes and environmental groups to push for action. The dam removal plan was approved in 2022.
Following the removal of the smallest dam, Copko 2, workers drained the reservoirs of the other three dams and began dismantling their structures in March.
Gilbert Myers measures water temperature in a king salmon trap in the lower Klamath River, California, on June 8, 2021. Nathan Howard/AP File
Removing the dams on the Klamath River will not significantly impact electricity supply, as the dams produce less than 2 percent of PacificCorp’s energy capacity, enough for around 70,000 homes. While hydroelectric power is considered clean and renewable, environmental groups and tribes have targeted large dams in the Western U.S. due to their negative impact on fish and river ecosystems.
The project’s cost of approximately $500 million will be covered by taxpayers and Pacific Command funds.
The timeline for the salmon’s return and the river’s recovery remains uncertain. There have been reports of salmon at the river’s mouth beginning to migrate. Michael Belchik, a senior water policy analyst for the Yurok Tribe, anticipates the salmon passing through Iron Gate Dam soon.
“We can expect to see early signs of recovery,” he said. “I believe we’ll witness fish swimming over the dam, possibly this year or certainly by next year.”
There are two small upstream dams on the Klamath River that allow salmon to pass through fish ladders, enabling them to overcome the dam barriers.
Mark Brantham, CEO of the Klamath River Restoration Authority overseeing the project, pointed out that it took roughly a decade for the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe to resume fishing after the Elwha River dam removal.
“The impacts on fish recovery are uncertain,” he stated. “It will take time to undo the damage and restore the river system after a century of impact.”
An extinct species of giant salmon called Oncorhynchus lastrosus They boasted a pair of front teeth that protruded like fangs from the sides of their mouths, according to new research.
Oncorhynchus lastrosus: (A) CT model of the holotype. (B) Holotype seen from the front of the skull, before complete preparation and CT scanning. (C) Artist-rendered male iconic fish skull with accurate spike-tooth configuration. (D) Artist's rendering of a complete female iconic fish with precise spike tooth configuration. Scale bar blocks – 1 cm each.Image credit: Clairson other., doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300252.
Oncorhynchus lastrosus It lived along the Pacific coast of North America (California, Oregon, and Washington) about 11 million to 5 million years ago.
This extinct species was first described in the 1970s from fossils discovered in the freshwater Gateway locality of the Madras Formation near the town of Gateway, Jefferson County, Oregon.
The fish was 2.4 to 2.7 meters (7.9 to 8.9 feet) long and weighed, by some estimates, close to 177 kilograms (400 pounds), making it the largest known member of its family. Salmonidae To live forever.
This species migrated from the Pacific Ocean to inland rivers to spawn, much like salmon today. And it was placophagous based on its numerous gill rakes and few small teeth.
but Oncorhynchus lastrosus It had two upper teeth, 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in) long.
Initially, paleontologists thought that these oversized teeth were oriented backwards in the mouth, like fangs, mainly because the tooth fossils were found separated from the rest of the skull. was. This led to the common name “saber-toothed tiger.”
However, through new CT scans and various analyses, Oncorhynchus lastrosus Using fossils collected over the years, Professor Kellyn Cresson of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and her colleagues were able to confirm that the fish's teeth did indeed point sideways out of its mouth, like a warthog.
“As a result, this species should be renamed 'spine-toothed salmon,'” the paleontologists said.
“It is unclear exactly what these teeth were used for, but it is likely that they were used for fighting other spiny-toothed salmon, for defense against natural predators, or as tools for digging nests. ”
“It is also possible that the teeth were used for multiple purposes,” the researchers added.
“However, the teeth were probably not used to capture prey. Oncorhynchus lastrosus It is believed that it was a filter feeder that fed on plankton. ”
“We've known for decades that these extinct salmon in Central Oregon were the largest of all time. Discoveries like ours mean they're probably more than just gentle giants. It shows that there was no such thing,” Professor Cresson said.
“The giant spines on the tips of their snouts would have helped them protect themselves from predators, compete with other salmon, and eventually build nests to incubate their eggs.”
“We are pleased to be able to give a new face to the giant spiny salmon and bring knowledge from the Oregon field to the world,” said University of Oregon researcher and director Dr. Edward Davis. Condon Collection, University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History.
“We also emphasize that females and males alike had huge fang-like teeth. So both sexes were equally terrifying,” said Professor Brian Sidlauskas, curator of fishes at Oregon State University. said.
team's result It was published in the magazine PLoS ONE.
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KM watercress other. 2024. From the saber to the spike: Reconstruction of an ancient giant sexually dimorphic Pacific salmon from a new angle. Oncorhynchus lastrosus (Salmonidae: Salmonini). PLoS ONE 19 (4): e0300252; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300252
Since 2012, mass die-offs of farmed salmon have become more frequent and increasing in number, with some locations wiping out millions of fish at a time. These mass mortality events are often caused by stress factors such as fluctuations in ocean temperatures and poor living conditions, highlighting the need to improve animal welfare practices on salmon farms.
Approximately 70% of the salmon sold worldwide is farmed. There is a high mortality rate of fish before they are ready for slaughter, and there are serious concerns about the environmental impact of salmon farming and the welfare of farmed fish.
Six countries produce 92% of the world's farmed salmon: Norway, Canada, the United Kingdom, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand. Gerald Singh Researchers from the University of Victoria in Canada analyzed mortality data from these countries.
The researchers found that high-fatality events increased over time, particularly in Norway, Canada, and the United Kingdom, from 2012 to 2022. A total of 865 million salmon died during this period.
“We are talking about very large numbers,” Singh says. “In the case of Norway, the worst ranged from about 935,000 fish lost in a month to just under 5 million. In Canada, the worst 10 per cent disaster ranged from about 935,000 fish lost in a month to just under 5 million. Between 10,000 and 3.8 million fish were lost.”
If this trend continues, researchers predict that future fatal crashes could cause up to 5.14 million deaths in Norway, 5.05 million people in Canada and just over 1 million people in the UK.
Environmental stressors such as marine heatwaves and lack of oxygen in the water, as well as sea lice infestations, can trigger these mass die-offs. To reduce the impact of these stressors on salmon, Singh says better animal welfare practices need to be implemented, such as not overcrowding fish pens.
“These events can have significant impacts on local economies, communities and ecosystems,” he says. “For example, if communities that rely on these industries are stripped of their farming permits, this can have a significant impact on local economies and livelihoods.”
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