eat up to a whopping2,500 kilograms(5,500 pounds ) of foodevery day , one of the world ’s enceinte animals has an as large appetency to boot .
Humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off the northeastern slide of Canada ’s Vancouver Island have found a way to make their food for thought derive to them . Known as “ sand trap - alimentation ” , a hunchback giant suspend itself at or just below the control surface with its mouth undefended for at least four seconds , leave surface water to pool in their mouth . Fish fleeing from dive - bombardment seabird mistake these “ ponds ” for a safe haven as the whale helps shepherd them along using its pectoral fins . The whale then snaps its jaw exclude just in time for a healthy meal of krill , herring , and other modest planktonic sea brute .
In 2011 , two humpback whale were confirmed to utilize this “ snare - feeding ” strategy in this country . Just four years later , that number pass over to 16 , suggesting this proficiency could be a “ culturally transmitted foraging innovation that provide an energetically efficient method acting of feeding on small , diffuse prey patches . ”
Molly Zaleski , a marine biologist who was not involved in the study , has been study giant and nautical ecosystems in neighboring Southeast Alaska and Prince William Sound for several geezerhood . She says that she has not observed whales doing this type of “ trap - alimentation ” in Alaskan waters , but is excited to memorise about this young technique withal .
“ I know other whale show learned feeding and foraging doings that are specific to certain areas , ” sound out Zaleski to IFLScience . “ For example , sperm whalesseem to be teaching each other how and when to target longline vessels because they can pick sablefish off the line as an easy meal . ”
Writing inMarine Mammal Science , the authors note that the ability of individual whales ( and their broader population ) can bet on physiology , as well as their power torespondto their external surround , like changing numbers , availability , dispersion , or deportment of prey .
The bus - sized humpback whales are generalist piranha get laid to partake in a miscellany of feeding behaviors , like the dramaticlunge - feed strategyor sprite - story - soundingbubble - feeding technique . This freshly observed strategy could be in reaction to environmental pressures . crookback hulk populations off Canada ’s west coast were gravely use up by commercial whaling until it was banned more than40 years ago .
“ innovational foraging strategy arise when an individual invents a new alimentation behavior or modifies a demeanor that is already in use in a population . These Modern strategies can then be transferred to other soul within the population , a process that can take place through social or asocial learnedness , ” drop a line the authors , add that this type of knowing behaviour has been observed in other mammals , birds , and even angle .
Today , Megaptera novaeangliae hulk populations go forward to bounce back with some population beingdelistedfrom the Endangered Species Act .
