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Oona Chaplin as Varang in Avatar: Fire and Ash
Image credit: 20th Century Studio, 2025. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.
Bethan Ackerley Deputy Editor, London
No one crafts blockbusters quite like James Cameron. Avatar: Fire and Ash, the highly anticipated third installment set on the enchanting moon of Pandora, is both spectacular and visually stunning. The narrative unfolds with captivating themes ranging from interspecies conflicts to deep family dynamics.
Around 15 years after the ex-Marine Jake Sully was embraced by the Na’vi, he now resides on Pandora with his partner Neytiri and their children, having played a crucial role in defeating the human invaders and merging with their Na’vi bodies.
However, they now face the heart-wrenching loss of their eldest son, Neteyam. Their arch-nemesis, Colonel Quaritch, has allied himself with an influential Na’vi tribe that inhabits a volcano and is led by the formidable Varan (as depicted above).
Shakespeare may not measure up (the dialogue is rather crude, to say the least), but the allure of this intricately designed universe is undeniable.
Prepare to be mesmerized by the breathtaking visuals and the story of Payakan, a member of the sentient whale-like species known as the Tulukun, who serves as the emotional core of the film.
Killer whales execute skilled hunting techniques to bring juvenile great white sharks to the water’s surface.
Marco Villegas
Killer whales in the Gulf of California have adopted a sophisticated hunting method to target juvenile great white sharks: they turn them upside down to immobilize them. This finding implies there may be a previously unnoticed pod of orcas in the area that specialize in hunting sharks.
Only a limited number of killer whale populations are documented to consume sharks, and even fewer have been observed preying on great white sharks (carcharodon carcharius). Historically, killer whales (Orcinus orca) off the coast of San Francisco have been linked to a recorded incident involving a great white shark in 1997, and a carcass recovered near Australia revealed signs of an orca attack, documented in 2023. Until recently, only one instance of a killer whale preying on a young great white shark had been noted, and that was in South Africa.
Jesus Eric Higuera-Rivas, an independent marine biologist from Mexico, along with colleagues, captured video footage of killer whales hunting juvenile great white sharks on two occasions in the Gulf of California. The initial footage, taken in August 2020, depicted five female killer whales collaboratively pushing a juvenile great white to the surface. “The killer whale was attempting to ram the great white and flip it over,” Higuera-Rivas remarked.
This tactic induced a temporary state of paralysis in the shark, known as tonic immobility. The orcas also managed to consume the energy-rich liver of the shark, sharing it among themselves. Shortly thereafter, the pod repeated their attack on another young great white shark. In August 2022, another group of five killer whales exhibited the same hunting strategy against juvenile great whites in the identical location.
Some of the killer whales involved in the first incident were identified as those previously seen hunting whale sharks and bull sharks. However, the video from the second incident was insufficiently clear to confirm if those were the same orcas. “But it’s highly probable,” says Higuera-Rivas.
The hunting behaviors of killer whale populations differ significantly based on their habitat. “Orcas are like hunting machines, akin to snipers. They employ specific strategies tailored to their prey,” Higuera-Rivas explains. These observations indicate that the killer whales in question may be part of an unrecognized group of shark hunters.
“This provides another example of a distinct feeding strategy, likely not shared by other orca groups globally,” states Andrew Trites from the University of British Columbia, Canada. However, further research is necessary for conclusive evidence, as these killer whales might descend from Pacific Northwest populations that hunt different shark species.
Killer whales have increasingly been preying on dolphins in recent years. A recent report shows that now, new research indicates they have also devised a gruesome hunting strategy to target the livers of young great white sharks.
Hunting the world’s most formidable fish is no small feat, but the pod of killer whales in the Gulf of California has learned how to do it. They work together to flip the shark upside down, immobilizing it, and then extract its energy-rich liver for sharing.
Additionally, they have been captured on video executing this behavior.
Is this brutal behavior typical of killer whales? Yes, Professor Callum Roberts, a marine biologist at the University of Exeter not associated with the study, stated to BBC Science Focus.
“Orcas may be the most intelligent marine creatures, based on their innovative methods for hunting. Historically, killer whales targeted whales caught by industrial whalers and consumed their tongues.”
While killer whales have been observed preying on adult great white sharks in the past, these recent findings provide the first evidence of their strategic hunting techniques against them.
During their observations, the research team noted the pod killing not one, but two great white sharks in August 2020, and another pod consuming a third in 2022.
By pushing the shark to the surface and inverting it, the killer whales induce a state of tonic immobility in the shark due to the abrupt change in environment. In this vulnerable state, they can take what they want from the shark while leaving the rest behind.
Young sharks lack the experience to escape when a group is approaching. Researchers suggest that this implies killer whales may be hunting great whites more frequently than previously thought, as per findings in Frontiers of Marine Science.
“I believe that killer whales that target elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) are capable of finding great whites whenever they choose,” said the study’s lead author, Eric Higuera Rivas.
“This behavior showcases the killer whales’ intelligence, strategic mindset, and advanced social learning, with hunting techniques evolving and being shared across generations within their pods.”
Climate change may play a significant role in this behavior. The intensification of the El Niño phenomenon, which results from warming in the Pacific Ocean, is expanding the habitat of great white sharks into killer whale territories. These regions are populated with young, inexperienced sharks, making them easy targets.
Experts worry that this behavior could be detrimental for the shark population.
“What benefits killer whales might not bode well for sharks. Both species are endangered,” Roberts noted. “Let’s hope they don’t spread these hunting strategies too widely.”
About our experts
Callum Roberts serves as Professor of Marine Conservation at the University of Exeter and previously held the position of Chief Scientific Advisor for BBC One. He has authored several books, including the “Blue Planet II” series and Oceans of Life: How our oceans are changing (Penguin Books, £22) and Coral Reef Life (Profile Book, £12.99).
You might envision dolphins as the cool, young cousin of the humpback whale, but it appears these two species are forming some budding friendships after all.
In fact, new footage captured by a suction camera reveals the lengths a dolphin will go to befriend its marine companions. The whales are accompanied by bottlenose dolphins as they swim from the sunlit surface down to the seabed, engaging in playful activities side by side.
Social interactions between whales and dolphins are seldom explored. Recent research from Griffith University in Australia has shown that these species often engage in friendly play.
The study, led by Dr. Olaf Meinecke, the leader of Griffith University’s Whale & Climate Program, analyzed 199 individual interactions captured on camera and film by the public, tourism operators, and scientists across 17 locations worldwide. The footage featured 19 species, including humpback and fin whales, as well as bottlenose and white-sided dolphins in the Pacific Ocean.
Meynecke found that a quarter of these interactions could be deemed mutually engaging. Most of the others at least exhibited friendly acknowledgment, rather than avoidance.
“Most of the observed interactions demonstrated no avoidance behavior,” Meynecke explained.
Humpback whales particularly stand out for their friendliness towards dolphins, with a third of their interactions being classified as positive.
“The humpback whales were rolling from side to side, displaying belly presentations, and engaging in other behaviors indicative of courtship and friendly socialization,” said Meynecke. They were the least likely to exhibit aggressive behaviors toward dolphins, such as tail slaps or other percussive actions.
Baleen whales and dolphins interacting exhibit various behavioral categories. Bottlenose dolphins near the bow of a humpback whale off the Gold Coast, Australia (A: Credit Roving Media); bottlenose dolphin surfacing near a humpback whale in Barmagui, Australia (B: Credit WildLive.Media); common dolphin engaging in friction in the Celtic Sea (C: Credit Dan Abbott), and a group of bottlenose dolphins swimming alongside southern right whales in Esperance, Australia (D: Credit Jaymen Hudson).
The most frequent interaction observed involved dolphins cruising close to the whale’s snout or beak.
This behavior serves as a free ride, demonstrating a strategy to save energy while perhaps indulging a dolphin’s playful spirit.
“Behavioral studies of marine mammals like these offer valuable insights into their intricate social structures and are crucial for enhancing our understanding of marine ecosystems and the interactions between species,” Meynecke noted.
In the paper published online in the Journal of Comparative Psychology, marine biologists detail 34 interactions where killer whales (Orcinus orca) offered food to humans over the last 20 years. These incidents were reported in oceans worldwide, including locations from California to New Zealand, Norway, and Patagonia. The killer whales provided a diverse array of 18 species: six fish, five mammals, three invertebrates, two birds, one reptile, and one type of seaweed. The authors propose that these occurrences may illustrate a form of general altruism.
Case presented by Towers et al. Wild killer whale (Orcinus orca) utilized prey and other items to incite interactions with humans. Image credits: Towers et al., doi: 10.1037/com0000422.
Altruistic behaviors, such as sharing prey, are prosocial acts that can foster various forms of reciprocity.
Such relationship dynamics lay the groundwork for cerebral development related to the evolution of social norms in species like primates and dolphins.
Despite some cultures among these species benefiting from interactions with other mammals, documented cases of wild animals actively providing for humans are exceedingly rare.
“Orcas frequently share food with one another. It’s a prosocial behavior that helps them build relationships,” remarked Dr. Jared Towers, a researcher at Bay Setrogy.
“We are also intrigued by what they choose to share with people and how that relates to us.”
Dr. Towers and his collaborators, Dr. Ingrid Visser from the Orca Research Trust and Dr. Vanessa Prigollini from the Marine Education Association, collected and analyzed data on the 34 food distribution events they and others encountered.
In 11 cases, people were in the water when killer whales approached them. In 21 instances, they were on boats, and in two cases, they were on the shore.
Some instances were recorded through videos and photos, while others were documented via interviews with researchers.
All incidents had to meet strict criteria for inclusion in the analysis; each case required the whale to approach humans and present items voluntarily.
In every instance except one, killer whales observed the reactions after they offered food, and in seven instances, they initially refused to present it before trying multiple times.
“While domesticated animals like dogs and cats occasionally share food with humans, our study provides one of the first comprehensive accounts of such behaviors in non-domesticated species,” the scientists stated.
“This behavior makes sense, as killer whales are intelligent, social creatures that use food sharing to form relationships with both kin and non-kin.”
“They often hunt prey much larger than themselves.”
“By offering items to humans, they are presented with chances to practice, explore, and engage with the cultural behaviors typical of killer whales, while also learning to manipulate and enhance their interactions with us.”
“We believe that the cognitive abilities and social nature of these animals can help explain these behaviors.”
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JR Towers et al. 2025. Water Test: An Attempt by a Wild Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) to Provide for People (Homo sapiens). Journal of Comparative Psychology in press; doi: 10.1037/com0000422
Recent studies indicate that humpback whales often collide with objects due to their surprisingly limited vision.
This gentle giant struggles to discern fine details until it is quite close, which may explain the unfortunate incidents of these animals becoming entangled in fishing nets or crashing into small vessels.
To gain insights into how humpback whales perceive their surroundings, a group of marine biologists examined the left eye of a deceased whale after it had been stranded.
In the study, the researchers found that the rear part of the whale’s eye was considerably thicker than anticipated. This suggests that the distance from the retina to the lens (the eye’s focal length) is much shorter than expected.
A shorter focal length implies that the whale’s capability to resolve finer details is significantly lower than previously believed.
This theory was further supported by the team’s count of the neurons responsible for transmitting visual information to the brain, which revealed a stark contrast.
While a typical human eye has around 40,000 retinal ganglion cells per square millimeter, humpback whales possess only about 180.
Humpback whales are known to collide with small boats as they fail to detect them – Credits: Getty Images/Marnie Griffith
This level of poor vision typically doesn’t hinder whales, but Professor Lori Schweikert from the University of North Carolina Wilmington noted in BBC Science Focus.
“Apart from prey, humans, and some bird species, many animals possess relatively low vision,” says Schweikert.
“However, their visual capabilities are often adequate for their survival needs in their natural habitats. For humpback whales, they may primarily need to recognize large shapes, such as a big school of prey or other swimming whales.”
Humpbacks can identify large objects from a distance, but finer details come into focus only when they are about 45-60 meters away, or within 3-4 lengths of their bodies.
This means whales may struggle to see thin strands of fishing nets.
“At close range, they should be able to identify such structures,” Schweikert adds.
About our experts
Professor Lori Schweicart serves as an assistant professor of biology and marine biology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her research centers on the physiological mechanisms involved in light reception within marine settings.
Feedback brings you the latest in science and technology news from New Scientist, alongside the latest updates in the field. You can reach out to Feedback@newscientist.com to share intriguing items that may captivate our readers.
The Collapse of a Whale
This section focuses on unusual measurement units and how to effectively communicate information scales. Keen readers may remember discussing how Christopher Dionne’s large datasets can be related to the blue whale genome (April 12).
Bruce Horton remarks that it’s a solid analogy. “The major takeaway from using the blue whale’s size for reference is that most people are familiar with it, making size visualization easier for the audience,” he explains. “However, few people can visualize blue whale DNA, which undermines this analogy.”
He raises a valid point. The concept still echoes the early 2000s during the Human Genome Project, which created comparisons to illustrate the vastness of DNA information. Often, these comparisons included stacks of Bibles reaching to the moon. Nowadays, we utilize what’s gathered from The Wheel of Time series.
Fortunately, Bruce offers a clever solution. He references a 2005 study from the Parody Science Journal. An Unlikely Research Chronicle highlights a study involving slugs: Snail-Based Data Transfer Protocol. Researchers placed giant African land snails on a two-wheeled cart with CD or DVD wheels. Although snails moved slowly, they transferred data at a speed of 37,000 kilobytes per second, outperforming current broadband connections.
The study concluded that this method is easy to visualize and comprehend, making it generally recommended.
Bruce suggests we await further developments and introduces a new unit conceptualized by Ken Taylor and his wife. They own an orchard with a damson tree known for its erratic annual yield. Consequently, they’ve coined the term “cramble,” denoting the quantity of desserts one can create per harvest. Ken shared, “2024 was particularly disappointing, yielding only three crumbles.”
The stark reality reveals that large SUVs pose a greater risk of fatal collisions compared to smaller vehicles. One might expect feedback to respond with sarcasm regarding this apparent truth: indeed, heavier objects will impart more force than lighter ones at equivalent speeds. Yet, a fundamental virtue of science is to challenge common knowledge instead of simply affirming it.
Here, we invite contributions for the category “No Kidding, Sherlock.” The more distressing and obvious the revelation, and the lengthier the methodical experimentation, the better. If ants invade, does it diminish our enjoyment of picnics? If a faucet leaks, does my water bill increase? I’d appreciate at least one enlightening question.
Licking the Badger
Historian Greg Jenner made a surprising discovery in April, stating on Blue Sky: “If you input a random sentence into Google and append ‘meaning,’ you’ll receive an AI-generated explanation for the idiom or phrase you’ve concocted.”
This is how Greg’s quirky phrase, “You can’t lick a badger twice,” prompted Google AI to interpret it as “You can’t deceive someone twice after they’ve already learned your trick.” However, to be fair, interpretations may vary among the US populace. Moreover, these constructions are often artificially generated. Nevertheless, that didn’t deter AI from dispensing extensive explanations. “In this context, ‘licking’ suggests cheating or misleading someone.” The badger anecdote does not hold any factual foundation.
Many submitted their own unique phrases with Google’s analyses. For example, Kit Yates coined, “Don’t run the miles without hitting it with a hammer,” interpreted as “a motivational phrase emphasizing the struggles involved in achieving goals.” Feedback especially appreciated its “frequent” occurrence in torrents of nonsensical dialogues.
Kai Kupferschmidt shared, “It’s better to have tentacles in the tent than mice on rat chairs.” Google deemed it “a humorous idiom, suggesting it’s preferable to find oneself in an uncomfortable situation rather than in a more perilous one.” Feedback found many amusing aspects in this, but it begs the question: why are illicit tentacles seen as uncomfortable, yet not dangerous? A nod to HP Lovecraft indicates tentacles are rarely a good sign.
Regrettably, the “meaning” feature appears to be disabled now. I attempted to coax Google into explaining “Don’t rub Roe Deer’s Cabbages,” but to no avail.
While utilizing AI to generate AI responses can yield novel answers, it won’t prevent individuals from concocting nonsensical excuses rather than admitting they lack knowledge.
This situation underscores the challenge of integrating technology into platforms that aim to serve as precise information sources. Currently, Feedback harbors a lack of trust in Google’s findings. Ironically, this suggests that AI may indeed be correct: one cannot truly lick a badger twice.
Have you provided feedback?
You can send your stories to feedback@newscientist.com, including your home address. This week’s feedback and past editions are available on our website.
A South Carolina man admitted guilt on Thursday for bringing in and selling sperm whale teeth and bones from four countries in the United States, according to federal prosecutors.
Lauren H. Deloha, 69, of St. Helena, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to violating the Lacy Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act by importing and selling sperm whale parts. The US Attorney’s Office in South Carolina reported this.
Deloach is said to have imported sperm teeth and bones into South Carolina from July 2022 to September 2024, including at least 30 shipments from Australia, Latvia, Norway, and Ukraine, as revealed in court documents and statements made in court.
He allegedly sold around $18,000 worth of at least 85 pieces on eBay, falsely labeling them as “plastic” to evade detection by customs officials, according to prosecutors.
Authorities mentioned that they confiscated about $20,000 worth of sperm whale parts while searching his residence.
It remains unclear how Deloach acquired these items and who purchased them from him. Teeth and bones are sought after for use in artworks like sculptures, prosecutors stated.
Sperm whales, the largest toothed whales, inhabit deep waters worldwide, from the equator to the edges of ice in the Arctic and Antarctic, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Females can grow up to 40 feet long, while males can reach up to 52 feet long, as per the agency.
Sperm whales have been safeguarded since 1970 under the Endangered Species Act and the International Treaty on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The Lacey Act criminalizes the illegal sale of wildlife that was imported illegally, prosecutors mentioned.
“Illegal wildlife trafficking is a multi-billion dollar global enterprise, with animals and fuels protecting organized crime,” stated Brooke B. Andrews, acting US attorney for South Carolina. “We will uphold the Lacey Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Vulnerable species like sperm whales have been slaughtered for profit.”
Deloach’s attorney, Nathan S. Williams, mentioned in a statement on Sunday that Deloach “regretted his actions and took responsibility for them.”
Deloha faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine for felony Lacey Act violations, and up to one year in prison for misdemeanor violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
This incident was the latest involving protected wildlife.
In February, a California couple reached a plea agreement in Butte County, California. They were caught by wildlife officers smuggling mountain lion trophies and turtle skulls in their carry-on bags, breaching fish and game laws. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife stated.
Humpback whales have left scientists astonished with their epic journey spanning three oceans and over 8,000 miles, establishing a new record for the longest migration between breeding grounds.
A recent study published in a journal Royal Society Open Science on Wednesday suggests that this remarkable migration may be influenced by climate change, impacting ocean conditions and food availability, or changes in mating behavior.
Professor Darren Croft, an expert in behavioral ecology at the University of Exeter, UK, remarked, “Changes in climate and ocean conditions may drive these migrations to new breeding grounds, and increased competition for mates and food may prompt individuals to seek new opportunities.”
This new study reveals the immense distances traveled by humpback whales and highlights their remarkable migratory behavior.
While some whale species cover over 5,000 miles between feeding and breeding areas, humpback whales hold the title for the longest migratory distance among mammals.
One particular whale captured scientists’ attention after embarking on a journey that extended beyond the usual migratory routes.
Originally spotted in 2013 off the coast of Colombia, South America, the whale was later sighted in similar waters in 2017 and in 2022 near Zanzibar, an island in the Indian Ocean.
Researcher Ryan Reisinger expressed his excitement over the findings, underscoring the importance of documenting humpback whales’ shifting breeding grounds.
Despite this intriguing discovery, the exact reason for this unusually long migration remains unknown.
Humpback whales are renowned for their annual migration from rich feeding grounds in the summer to warmer breeding areas in winter, where food is scarce.
The study employed photos from happywhale.com, a platform where individuals contribute to tracking whale movements globally, utilizing artificial intelligence to identify and study individual whales based on their unique features.
With a match rate of 97% to 99%, the algorithm on Happy Whale’s website utilizes whale tail characteristics to differentiate and monitor humpback whale populations around the world.
EEG tests on two young baleen whales reveal they can hear sounds at higher frequencies than previously thought, leading researchers to explore how the ocean's largest animals respond to noise from predators and humans. We are being forced to reconsider how we react.
“This is truly groundbreaking work,” he says. susan parks from Syracuse University in New York was not involved in the new study. “Directly measuring hearing in wild baleen whales is something researchers in this field have been working on for decades…To my knowledge, this is the first successful test of this method in baleen whales. is.”
However, baleen whales are the largest animals on earth, and research methods such as temporarily restraining them for hearing tests are not easy. “The body size of most baleen whales is too large for approaches to be effective,” he says. dorian howser at the National Marine Mammal Foundation, a California-based nonprofit organization. So Hauser and his colleagues focused on a relatively small baleen species called the minke whale.
Researchers investigated the migratory routes of minke whales along the Norwegian coast and discovered a natural channel between the two islands, where they used mesh fencing and boats to capture the two whales, which are about 3 to 5 meters long. The whale was guided to an enclosure at the farm. Drop down net door. The researchers then used a roller system to pull up the net, keeping the teens partially submerged in the water.
For the hearing test, the researchers were able to record brain wave signals by placing two gold-plated electrodes with silicone suction cups on each whale's skin near its blowhole and dorsal fin. They measured how the whales' brains responded to sounds played through underwater speakers for about 30 minutes in one whale and 90 minutes in the other.
These experiments revealed that whales' auditory brainstem responds to ultrasonic waves at frequencies as high as 45 to 90 kilohertz, which exceeds the ultrasonic waves that the human ear can detect. This is a much wider audible range than previously thought possible based on ear anatomy and vocalizations.
He said corralling and confining wild marine mammals is “quite controversial” because it can cause “significant stress” to the animals. Oliver Boisseau At Marine Conservation Research, a UK-based non-profit organization. But he said the discovery was “hugely important” for understanding how baleen whales evade predators such as killer whales, which use high-frequency echolocation clicks to hunt. .
Researchers should also reconsider how military sonar and commercial echo sounders used to map the ocean floor affect baleen whales, Boisseau said. “The more we study hearing in marine mammals, the more our initial assumptions seem to become confused,” he says.
There is a possibility that Gray Whale could become the next Olympic champion if it surpasses Simone Biles. This speculation comes from a recent study that captured animals performing impressive acrobatic movements underwater, including headstands.
The spectacular ocean gymnastics were documented as part of a seven-year research project, during which scientists utilized drones to study pods of 200 gray whales along the coasts of Oregon, Washington, northern California, and southern Canada.
The findings of the study were published in new research results in the journal animal behavior. The research revealed that whales perform handstands by pressing their mouths against the ocean floor while foraging for food. The scientists also observed the whales moving their flippers in a sweeping motion, similar to synchronized swimmers.
A particularly endearing moment captured by the drones was that of a baby whale attempting, unsuccessfully, to perform a handstand, indicating that this behavior is learned with age.
According to Clara Bird, a study author at Oregon State University, “Our findings suggest that this handstand behavior requires strength and coordination.”
Drone footage of a whale (the whale above this image) doing a headstand. – Photo credit: Oregon State University GEMM Lab.
In addition to these remarkable acrobatic displays, the drone footage also captured the gray whale performing a “bubble blast,” where the whale releases air underwater to create a large circular pattern on the water’s surface.
In a second study published in ecology and evolution, scientists discovered that the bubble blast aids whales in feeding longer, especially in shallow waters.
Bird explained, “It’s similar to when we dive underwater. Releasing air from our lungs helps us stay submerged without battling the force that pushes us back to the surface.”
The research indicates that larger, fatter whales are more likely to perform bubble blasts, particularly while doing handstands. These findings underscore the importance of whale size in feeding behavior.
For more information, check out the full articles linked above.
Drone footage of a gray whale captured off the coast of Oregon over a seven-year period reveals new details about how the giant marine mammal finds and eats its food.
The findings, described in two studies published this summer, include that gray whales use different swimming techniques to gather food depending on their size and age, and that larger whales are able to swim more easily in the water. It includes a high chance of spitting out a “bubble explosion” to stay in place.
“Until this study, we thought all whales exhibited this behavior,” said Clara Byrd, lead author of both studies and a research scientist at Oregon State University's Marine Mammal Research Institute. said. “No one thought there was a pattern to who behaved in what way.”
Bird's research also found that whales use different predation techniques depending on the depth at which they forage and the habitat of their prey. Such information could inform future conservation efforts, she said, as it provides insight into the types of habitats that need to be protected to maintain whales' access to food.
“While we are not currently actively seeking to protect specific habitats, future concerns include the possibility that whales of different ages may not all be using the same habitats. “It's very important to know,” Bird said. “It will help us manage them in the future.”
Drone footage of gray Wales shows them standing on their heads and exploding bubbles. oregon state university
Whales eat amphipod crustaceans, such as small shrimp and earthworms. These creatures suck up water and sediment from the ocean floor where they live and use their whiskers to filter and consume food. Gray whales are usually observed alone or in small groups, but large groups can sometimes be seen on feeding and breeding grounds.
Bird and her team conducted a survey off the coast of Newport. During their seven-year voyage, the group used drones to track and record individual whales. They used identification markers such as scars, spots, and tail shapes to identify specific whales.
The research team tracked 78 gray whales in a total of 160 sightings from 2016 to 2022. In drone footage, young, small whales were observed often swimming sideways or facing forward, opening and closing their mouths in an attempt to find and ingest food. . Older, larger whales, on the other hand, tended to dive and then stay in place with their heads down, in what scientists describe as a “handstand technique.”
As whales grow larger, the probability of such headstands increases, but the probability of forward swimming tactics decreases, the study found. Water depth and habitat type, including rocky, sandy, and coral reefs, also influenced the whales' approach.
Drone images show a gray whale using a sidestroke technique to forage for food. oregon state university
Bird believes the switch in technique is due to the maturation of the whale's muscles and its level of strength and coordination.
Her team's second study was published Published in Ecology and Evolution In August, we explained how older, larger whales emit air through their blowholes to stay underwater as they forage.
These “bubble explosions” can reduce the whale's buoyancy and help it sink. Larger whales have a greater need for this because their lungs hold more air, contain more fat, and are easier to float.
The discovery was based on observations of 75 whales. On average, the bubble explosions occurred 27 seconds after the whale dove took off in search of food, and most were observed while the whales were doing a handstand. The older and larger the whale, the more likely such an explosion will occur.
“Combining size and individual-level behavior in this way is a really interesting part of this study,” Bird said.
Susan Parks, a biology professor at Syracuse University who has published research on whale eating habits but was not involved in the new study, said documenting the diversity among whale species is important for scientists. said that it helps avoid inaccurate generalizations.
“When working on conservation efforts and protecting endangered species, it's really important to understand that there can be large variations in behavior,” Parks said. “So you can't just stop at a single observation.”
The park also highlighted the potential drones have for collecting detailed data about whales.
“There is so much we don’t know about whale behavior,” she said, adding that the study “uses drone footage to essentially monitor whale behavior to help explain how whales make a living.” “It gave us a completely different perspective on the details of what's going on,” he added.
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaegangliae) Whales build so-called “bubble nets” as tools to hunt, but researchers from the University of Hawaii and the Alaska Whale Foundation have found that these marine animals not only build bubble nets, but also manipulate these unique tools in a variety of ways to maximize food intake in their Alaskan feeding grounds. This novel study sheds light on a behavior critical to whale survival and makes a compelling case for including humpback whales among the rare animals that manufacture and use unique tools.
Although some animal species use tools to forage, only a few manufacture or modify tools. Humpback whales are one of these rare species, as they manufacture bubble net tools while foraging. Using animal tags and unmanned aerial system technology, Sabo others. Investigating the bubble nets made by solitary humpback whales (Megaptera novaegangliae) while feeding on krill in the Pacific Ocean, whale nets in southeast Alaska. They demonstrate that the nets are composed of internal tangential loops, suggesting that the whales actively control the number of loops, the size and depth of the net, and the horizontal spacing of adjacent bubbles. They argue that the whales adjust structural elements of the net to increase the amount of prey they catch in a single lunge by an average of seven-fold. Image credit: Szabo others., doi: 10.1098/rsos.240328.
“Many animals use tools to find food, but few actually make or modify their own tools,” says Lars Bader, a professor at the University of Hawaii.
“We discovered that solitary humpback whales in southeast Alaska build complex bubble webs to capture krill.”
“These whales expertly blow bubbles in patterns that form nets with internal loops, actively controlling details such as the number of loops, the size and depth of the net, and the spacing of the bubbles.”
“This method allows them to catch up to seven times as many prey in one feeding dive without expending any extra energy.”
“This impressive behaviour puts humpback whales in a rare group of animals that make and use their own tools to hunt.”
The marine mammals known as cetaceans include whales, dolphins and porpoises and are notoriously difficult to study.
Advances in research tools are making it easier to track and understand whale behaviour, and in this case, Professor Bader and his colleagues used specialised tags and drones to study the whale's movements from above and below the water.
“We attached non-invasive suction cup tags to whales in southeast Alaska and flew drones over humpback whales as they hunted alone in bubble nets to collect data on their underwater movements,” said Dr William Goff, also from the University of Hawaii.
“The tools are great, but it takes practice to hone them.”
“Whales are a difficult group to study and successful tracking with tags and drones requires skill and precision.”
“This little-studied foraging behavior is unique to humpback whales.”
“It's really amazing to see these animals in their natural habitat, doing things that only a handful of people get to see.”
“And then it's rewarding to be able to go back to the lab and look at the data and find out what they're doing underwater after they're out of sight.”
a paper The study was published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.
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A. Sabo others2024. Solitary humpback whales manufacture bubble nets as a tool to enhance prey intake. R. Soc. Open Science 11(8):240328;doi: 10.1098/rsos.240328
This article is based on a press release provided by the University of Hawaii.
Parapontoporia The common dolphin, an extinct genus of long-nosed dolphins that lived along the Pacific coast of North America from the late Miocene to the Pliocene, was likely able to hear in a narrow band of high-frequency sounds, a new analysis has found. Parapontoporia The bony labyrinth.
The last known Chinese river dolphin, Qiqi. Image by Roland Seitre / CC BY-SA 3.0.
“Whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans) represent one of the most dramatic transitions in the history of mammals: a return from land to water,” said researchers Dr. Joyce Sanks of Vanderbilt University and Dr. Rachel Racicot of the Senckenberg Institute and the Natural History Museum.
“As a result, this group acquired a series of aquatic adaptations, such as moving their nostrils to the top of their heads and streamlining their bodies.”
“Echolocation developed early in the evolutionary history of Oligocene toothed whales (Odontoceti), and all modern toothed whales possess this ability.”
“The biosonar clicks produced by most extant toothed whales typically cover a wide frequency spectrum, from tens of kilohertz to 150-170 kHz.”
“Conversely, certain toothed whales emit characteristic biosonar clicks that have narrow bandwidth but high centroid frequencies.”
“These distinctive clicks have a peak frequency of 125-140 kHz and a bandwidth of 11-20 kHz.”
Using high-resolution x-ray CT scans, the authors examined the inner ears of three people. Parapontoporia Two specimens, Parapontoporia sternbergii and Parapontoporia pacifica From the collection of the San Diego Natural History Museum.
With the help of 3D models, the team was able to prove that these creatures already had narrow-band, high-frequency hearing during the Miocene epoch, about 5.3 million years ago.
“Echolocation, as used by animals, also developed quite early in evolutionary history,” Dr Racicot said.
“The animals emit sound waves that bounce off objects and send back echoes, providing information about the object's distance and size. All toothed whales currently use this natural sonar system.”
“Echolocation is a rational hunting and communication strategy, especially in the ocean, where sound travels five times faster than in air, and where visibility is often reduced.”
“What's particularly interesting is that these dolphins have once again changed habitat, leaving the marine environment to colonize rivers.”
There are still a few dolphins living in the river today, with all six species now extremely rare and endangered.
As a relative Chinese river dolphin (Lipotes vexilifer) Last recorded in 2002, Parapontoporia It provides insight into the transition from marine habitats to freshwater environments.
“We speculate that this early and widespread evolution of echolocation in the dolphins we studied was driven by selective pressure or ecological advantage,” Dr Racicot said.
“River systems are spatially complex habitats, and this form of orientation and communication would likely have been advantageous for long-nosed dolphins.”
“Further research into toothed whales' sensory organs could be an important tool for studying the influence of habitat on cetacean hearing and for understanding the evolutionary dynamics of marine mammals.”
of result Published in this month's journal Anatomy record.
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Joyce Sanks & Rachel Racicot. Biology and prediction of hyperacusis. Parapontoporia – The extinct fin whale. Anatomy record Published online July 15, 2024; doi: 10.1002/ar.25538
To collect information on the animals’ behaviors, Professor Andrew Treitz and his team at the University of British Columbia utilized drone footage and biological data from tags attached to 11 northern and southern resident killer whales in Queen Charlotte Sound, Queen Charlotte Strait, Johnston Strait, and Strait of Juan de Fuca along the British Columbia coast.
Still image from UAV drone video showing data logger placement and breathing. Image credit: McRae et al., doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302758.
“Orcas are like sprinters; they lack the endurance for deep and prolonged dives like blue or humpback whales,” Professor Treitz noted.
Research revealed that killer whales predominantly spend their time off the coast of British Columbia, engaging in shallow dives lasting less than a minute.
An adult male recorded the longest dive time of 8.5 minutes.
By determining that the whales took only one breath during the dive, researchers could calculate their oxygen consumption rates per minute for adults and juveniles.
This information contributes to estimating the energy expenditure of killer whales and their daily fish consumption needs.
University of British Columbia student Tess McRae stated, “This will aid in understanding if killer whales, especially the endangered southern population, are obtaining sufficient food. It’s a critical aspect.”
The orcas in the study took 1.2 to 1.3 breaths per minute at rest, increasing to 1.5 to 1.8 breaths per minute while moving or hunting.
For comparison, humans typically take around 15 breaths per minute at rest and 40 to 60 breaths per minute during physical activity.
“It’s akin to holding your breath, rushing to the grocery store, shopping, and returning before being able to breathe again,” explained Dr. Beth Volpoff, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of British Columbia.
Published findings in the online journal PLoS ONE.
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TM McRae et al. 2024. Killer whale breathing rate. PLoS ONE 19 (5): e0302758; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302758
Paleontologists at the University of California, Davis and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History estimate that: Colossus of PercetusA gigantic basilosaur whale that lived in the Eocene of Peru and was 17 meters long and weighed between 60 and 70 tons.
reconstruction of Colossus of Percetus in coastal habitats. related sawfish, Pristis, recovered from the same unit in the East Pisco Basin, Yumac, Paracas Formation, Peru. Image credit: A. Gennari.
Colossus of Percetus They lived in what is now Peru about 39 million years ago (Eocene epoch).
This species was first described in 2023. Basilosauridaean extinct cetacean family that lived in the Eocene and is known on all continents, including Antarctica.
“Colossus of Percetus“The bones are unusually dense,” said Ryosuke Motani, a professor at the University of California, Davis, and Dr. Nicholas Pienson of the Smithsonian Institution.
“Mammal bones are usually solid on the outside and spongy or hollow in the center. In some animals, much of the center is filled with solid bone, which makes it denser and heavier. There are some that are.”
“In aquatic animals, heavy bones offset the buoyancy of body fat and fat, allowing them to maintain neutral buoyancy underwater or, in the case of hippos, to walk on riverbeds.”
“Fossil whale bones have an extensively filled interior and an overgrowth of bone on the outside. A condition called pachyostosis is also found in some modern aquatic mammals, such as manatees. .”
In 2023, paleontologists estimated the weight of the following people: Colossus of Percetus 180 metric tons (range from 85 to 340 metric tons).
This results in Colossus of Percetus Despite being much shorter at 17 meters (17 meters) compared to the 30 meters (30 meters) of the blue whale, it weighs as much or more than the largest known blue whale.
“These estimates indicate that Colossus of Percetus It's incredibly dense,” Professor Motani said.
“It would have been a whale's job to stay on the surface and get out of the ocean. To do anything underwater, it would have had to keep swimming against gravity.”
The authors reviewed the assumptions used to make these estimates.
“The first problem is that the original study used fossil bones to estimate skeletal weight, and assumed that skeletal and non-skeletal mass increases at the same rate as body size increases, which increases the total animal weight. “It's an extrapolation,” they said.
“But measurements in other animals show that this is not the case.”
“Initial estimates also overestimated how much overall weight would increase as a result of hypertrophy.”
“However, the evidence for manatees shows that their bodies are relatively light compared to their skeletal mass.”
Professor Motani and Dr Pienson estimate the total length to be 17 meters. Colossus of Percetus It weighs between 60 and 70 tons, much lighter than any known blue whale.
individuals of Colossus of Percetus A whale that grows to 20 meters can weigh more than 110 tons, but that's still a long way off the 270 tons of the largest blue whale.
“Thanks to the new weight, the whale, like most whales, is able to rise to the surface and remain there while breathing and recovering from the dive,” Professor Motani said.
R. Motani and N.D. Pienson. 2024. Downsizing in the heavy class: Factors and methods for revising mass estimates of giant fossil whales. Colossus of Percetus. Peer J 12: e16978; doi: 10.7717/peerj.16978
Humpback whales use songs to communicate with each other across oceans
Karim Ilya
Biologists have discovered how baleen whales produce their unique songs. It involves the uniquely shaped larynx.
Baleen whales, including humpback whales, communicate through complex songs that can be heard over great distances. “People recorded the first whale sounds in his 1970s, but only recently have we started to recognize the different sounds these animals actually make,” he says. Cohen Elemans At the University of Southern Denmark. “Now the question is, how do they do this?”
To learn more, Elemans and his team extracted the larynxes of three recently deceased baleen whales.Balaenoptera borealis), humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and the northern minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata).
The larynx, commonly known as the voice box, is an organ located in the upper neck of mammals. As air flows through the organ, the tissue folds vibrate, creating sound.
But that's not the case with baleen whales, Ellemans says. When the researchers examined the whale's larynx, they discovered that the organ had an unexpected shape, with a cushion of fat on one side.
When these whales breathe, air is forced against the fatty material, which vibrates and makes sound. “I've never seen this in any other animal,” Ellemans says. “This is unique to baleen whales.”
Whales can also recycle air from their lungs, which is useful when they are underwater for long periods of time. When you exhale through the trachea and larynx, air enters a sac with walls that contract, returning air to the lungs.
Using a computer model of its larynx, the researchers found that baleen whales can generate frequencies of up to 300 hertz at depths up to 100 meters below the ocean's surface. This is within the frequency range of noise emitted by ships, raising concerns that ship noise could drown out their songs.
“These whales can't escape this situation,” Elemans said. “Therefore, we need to take steps to reduce noise.”
It’s easy to be misunderstood if your name has the word “murderer” in it.
Still, it appears to have been a wild year for killer whales. From “attacking” and sinking several boats off the coast of southwest Europe to hunting great white sharks around South Africa and Australia, this black-and-white behemoth is living up to its name as of 2023. It looked like.
The whale’s surprising behavior has repeatedly put the spotlight on one of the ocean’s top predators since spring, spawning internet memes and wondering if the whale is just playing around or planning revenge. It’s fueling debate about what’s going on.
But for scientists, the recent orca antics are more fascinating than horrifying, with some saying they show how much there is still to learn about these highly intelligent marine animals.
Perhaps the biggest orca news of the year was a series of mysterious incidents in which killer whales appeared to ram boats off the coast of the Iberian Peninsula. In May, three killer whales collided with the rudder and side of a sailing yacht in the area, causing the yacht to sink.
This “attack” comes amid an observed increase in encounters between killer whales and boats since 2020. Monica Wieland Shields, director of the Orca Behavior Institute, a nonprofit research institute in Washington, said hundreds of incidents have been reported during this time.
At least four ships have sunk in the past two years due to the damage, she said.
No injuries or deaths were reported, and in most cases the whales did not sink boats. However, the incident became so famous that it sparked a meme that heralded the beginning of the “Orca Rebellion” and the “Orca Wars.” Many social media users supported “Team Killer Whales” and claimed that whales had finally fought back against humans.
But Shields said the sinking evoked real fear as well as light-hearted fun.
“So many people have come to my state of Washington this year and asked, ‘Is it safe to see whales here? How big is our boat? Is it possible that a whale will attack this ship?” she said. “I’m worried that instead of people leaving with a sense of respect and fascination with whales, they’re leaving with a fear of whales that’s probably not warranted.”
Among experts, the incident off the coast of the Iberian Peninsula is puzzling and has sparked debate about the whale’s intentions.
Many scientists believe that killer whales do not attack at all.
“They’re not afraid of boats, and there’s nothing to eat there,” said Robert Pittman, a marine ecologist at Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Research Institute. “They are intelligent, social animals, but they probably live in environments that are less stimulating for their mental abilities.”
So whales sometimes stumble upon something they find interesting and repeat the behavior for a while, he said.
Shields said videos of some of the incidents do not appear to show the killer whale intentionally aiming at the boat’s rudder or hull. Rather, she thought, the animals were likely acting out of curiosity and playfulness.
Josh McInnes, a behavioral ecologist at the University of British Columbia, agreed, noting that killer whales are known to engage in social learning by spreading and picking up behaviors within their pods. That could explain the series of boat encounters, he said.
Mr McInnes compared the behavior to roughhousing.
“Orcas are very athletic. They can grow up to 25 feet long and weigh up to 80,000 pounds, so when they come into physical contact with objects, they can get a little bit forceful,” he said.
Mr Shields said given the whale’s size, it would likely cause much more damage to ships and yachts if it carried out a coordinated attack.
Additionally, the idea that whales are standing up and fighting back doesn’t fit with what scientists know about killer whales.
“Orcas just want to have fun,” Pittman said. “Revenge is not inherently beneficial. Unless you are human, you have no adaptive capacity at all.”
But encounters between killer whales and boats weren’t the only stories making headlines this year. The whale also attracted attention for its ruthless hunting techniques.
In October, the carcass of a great white shark with its liver ripped out washed up on a beach near Portland, Australia. Researchers determined that killer whales were the culprit.
McInnes said killer whales do not normally prey on sharks, but they are capable of preying on sharks and have been previously observed preying on them in waters of Australia, Africa and even the Pacific Northwest. It is said that there is.
And why were sharks missing certain organs? Experts say this was purely practical.
“Sharks generally aren’t very nutritious for killer whales because they’re made of cartilage,” McInnes said. “But the liver is rich in fats and lipids, so it’s a very nutritious part to eat.”
In the past, killer whales have been known to target the liver when preying on sharks. Since 2017, scientists have been tracking the hunts of two killer whales, Port and Starboard, who killed at least eight great white sharks off the coast of South Africa and washed their liverless carcasses ashore.
In a video taken by a whale watching expedition off the coast of San Diego, a killer whale teaches its baby how to hunt by headbutting a dolphin. Erika Sacrison / Gone Whale Watching
However, orca behavior recorded in different parts of the world is generally unrelated. McInnes said different populations of killer whales are genetically distinct and do not normally socialize or interact.
But by studying all the observed events, scientists can gain broader insight into what killer whales are capable of and how they live.
Shields said she had “mixed feelings” about the attention that killer whales will receive in 2023. If anything, she said she hopes the headline will inspire people to get more involved in conservation efforts.
“I really hope that people take away from these stories a certain fascination and appreciation for killer whales,” Shields said. “They are found in every ocean and are present all over the planet. The ocean body closest to where you live is probably home to killer whales. So there’s a lot to learn. there is.”
Baleen whales (mysterious animals) are the largest animals on Earth. How they achieved such enormous sizes is still debated, and research to date has focused primarily on when they grew, rather than where they grew. was. Paleontologists now report on the remains of a toothless baleen whale (chaeomysticete) from South Australia. At an estimated length of 9 meters, it is the largest baleen whale from the early Miocene. Analysis of body size over time shows that ancient baleen whales in the Southern Hemisphere were larger than those in the Northern Hemisphere.
Mysterious gigantism from the early Miocene. Image credit: Ruairidh Duncan
It was previously thought that the onset of the Ice Age in the Northern Hemisphere about 3 million years ago triggered the evolution of truly gigantic baleen whales.
The new study, led by Dr James Rule of Monash University and the Natural History Museum in London, reveals that this evolutionary size jump did, in fact, occur as early as 20 million years ago, and in the exact opposite direction in the southern hemisphere. I made it.
The major discovery came from a study of 16- to 21-million-year-old fossils held in Museum Victoria’s collection.
This specimen, the anterior end of the lower jaw of a large edentulous baleen whale, was discovered in 1921 on a cliff face on the banks of the Murray River in South Australia, but was largely unrecognized in collections.
In their study, Dr. Ruhl and colleagues explain how whales evolved to be larger in the southern hemisphere rather than the northern hemisphere, and that whales have been larger in the southern hemisphere throughout their evolutionary history (about 20 million to 30 million years). It was shown that
The discovery highlights the vital importance of the Australian and wider Southern Hemisphere fossil record in putting together a global picture of whale evolution.
The Murray River whale fossil confounds that theory, although previous leading theories were based primarily on fossils found in the northern hemisphere.
“The Southern Hemisphere, and Australia in particular, has always been overlooked as a frontier for fossil whale discovery,” says Dr Eric Fitzgerald, a palaeontologist at Museums Victoria Research Institute.
“Like the Murray River whale, the fossil whale discoveries in the south have shaken up whale evolution, giving us a more accurate, truly global picture of what was happening in the oceans in ancient times. .”
Researchers have discovered that the tip of a baleen whale’s jaw can expand depending on its body size.
They estimated the baleen whale to be about 9 meters long.
“The largest whales alive today, such as the blue whale, reach the length of a basketball court,” Dr. Ruhl said.
“About 19 million years ago, Murray River whales were nine meters long, already a third of this length. So baleen whales were well on their way to becoming ocean giants.”
of result will appear in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
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James P. Rule other. 2023. A huge baleen whale emerges from its cold cradle in the south. Procedure R. Soc. B 290 (2013): 20232177; doi: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2177
Killer whales have been observed harassing porpoises in the Salish Sea, a behavior that has puzzled scientists for years. A study by Wild Orca and the SeaDoc Society at the University of California, Davis is investigating what may be behind it.Credit: Wild Orca
Scientists are investigating mysterious behavior.
Scientists have long been perplexed by the behavior of fish-eating killer whales in the Pacific Northwest. Killer whales have been seen harassing porpoises and sometimes killing them instead of eating them.
In a recently published study, marine mammal scienceCo-led by Deborah Giles of Wild Killer Whales and Sarah Teman of the Sea Dog Society, a program at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, the 60-year record between southern killer whales and porpoises in the Salish Sea We investigated the above interactions. You can better understand why they exhibit this behavior.
Southern killer whales are endangered, with only 75 individuals left. Their survival is closely tied to the fate of Chinook salmon, which is also an endangered species. seed. Without enough Chinook salmon, these whales are at risk of extinction.
“I’m often asked: Why don’t southerners eat seals and porpoises instead?” Giles said. “That’s because fish-eating killer whales have a completely different ecology and culture than marine mammal-eating killer whales, even though they live in the same ocean area. Therefore, interactions with porpoises We must conclude that there is another purpose, but this purpose has hitherto been speculative.”
Three plausible explanations
Scientists recorded instances of southern resident killer whales harassing porpoises as early as 1962, but the reason for this behavior remained a mystery for a long time. Giles, Teman, and a team of collaborators analyzed his 78 porpoise harassment incidents recorded from 1962 to 2020. This study suggests three plausible explanations.
Social play: Harassing porpoises may be a form of social play for killer whales. Like many intelligent species, these whales may engage in playful activities to bond, communicate, or simply have fun. This behavior can benefit group coordination and teamwork.
Hunting practice: Another hypothesis suggests that harassing porpoises may hone their salmon-hunting skills. Southern resident killer whales may view porpoises as moving targets to practice their hunting skills, even if they don’t intend to eat them.
Abusive behavior: This theory suggests that the whales may be trying to care for porpoises that they perceive to be weak or sick. This is an expression of the whale’s natural tendency to help other dolphins in the group. Females have been seen carrying dead calves, as well as porpoises.
“Abusive behavior, also known to scientists as ‘left-behind behavior,’ may be due to children having limited opportunities to care for them,” Giles explained. “Our research found that malnutrition causes nearly 70 percent of southern killer whale pregnancies to miscarry or for the calves to die shortly after birth.”
salmon specialist
Despite these interesting insights, Giles, Teman, and their collaborators acknowledge that the exact reasons behind porpoise harassment may never be fully understood. .But what is clear is that porpoises do not have Part of the diet of southern resident killer whales. Southern killer whales have a diet so specialized in salmon that the idea of them eating porpoises is highly unlikely.
“Orcas are incredibly complex and intelligent animals. We found that harassing behavior toward porpoises has been passed down through generations and across social groups. It’s a great example,” says Teman. “Still, we don’t expect southern-dwelling killer whales to start eating porpoises. The salmon-eating culture is deeply rooted in southern-dwelling societies. For these whales to survive, healthy salmon populations are essential. We need numbers.”
This study highlights the importance of protecting salmon populations in the Salish Sea and throughout whale range. Maintaining an adequate supply of salmon is critical to the survival and well-being of Southern killer whales and the overall health of the Salish Sea ecosystem.
affinity for play
The study was conducted at a time when distinct killer whale populations on the Iberian Peninsula drew international headlines for interacting, sinking ships three times off the coasts of Portugal and Spain. After all, southern killer whales and killer whales of the Iberian Peninsula are two distinct populations with different cultures. What the two have in common is an affinity for play behavior.
Reference: “Harassment and Killing of Porpoises by Fish-Eating Southern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) (‘Phocoenacide’)” Deborah A. Giles, Sarah J. Teman, Samuel Ellis, John K.B. Ford, Monica W. Shields, M. Bradley Hanson, Candice K. Emmons, Paul E. Cottrell, Robin W. Baird, Richard W. Osborn, Michael Weiss, David K. Ellifritt. , Jennifer K. Olson, Jared R. Towers, Graham Ellis, Dena Matkin, Courtney E. Smith, Stephen A. Laverty, Stephanie A. Norman, Joseph K. Gaydos, September 28, 2023 , marine mammal science.
This research was funded by Wild Orca and the SeaDoc Society. Additional partners include the University of Exeter, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Orca Behavior Institute, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Cascadia Research Institute, Whale Museum, Center for Whale Research, Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) at Everett Community College, and Gulf Zoology. , North Gulf Coast Marine Society, George Mason University, Institute of Marine Medicine.
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