Humpback whales are massive, intelligent, and social creatures residing in all oceans around the globe. These whales can grow up to 60 feet long and weigh up to 80,000 pounds, according to Oceana. That being said, it’s no wonder the mammals eat up to 1.5 tons of food per day, as reported by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game. However, tactics like bubble net feeding can help them hunt more efficiently.
This Instagram post shows riveting footage of two humpback whales engaging in hunting behavior, seemingly performing a synchronized dance. The movement creates a pattern of bubbles, which looks like a spiral shape from above. But why, exactly, are these massive whales doing this?
What Is Bubble Net Feeding?
Humpback whales are known for bubble-net feeding.
©iStock.com/srhtkn
According to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, bubble net feeding—which you can watch in the video above—is a cooperative hunting technique primarily used by humpback whales. This strategy allows whales to work together to trap prey in bubbles, making it easier for them to feed. Typically, two or more humpback whales will engage in this practice together, as you can see in the Instagram video linked above. These intelligent creatures are capable of coordinating their efforts to trap their prey.
How Does Bubble Net Feeding Work?
Humpback whales are mammals.
©PaulWolf/iStock via Getty Images
When engaging in bubble net feeding, humpback whales will venture below schools of fish and create bubbles from their blowholes, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation reported. These bubbles, which you can see in the above video, essentially trap prey like fish and small crustaceans.
One whale often leads the group, which may include just one or several other whales. The leader blows the bubbles while the others trail behind. This creates the spiral pattern you can see in the footage. Think of it as a net that traps marine animals, preventing them from escaping to deeper water. The spiral pattern ends up trapping the prey, making them available to the whales, which then skim the water with open mouths. They’re usually able to gulp down the fish and small crustaceans before these prey can escape.
The post How Humpback Whales Use a Bubble Trick to Capture Prey appeared first on A-Z Animals.
