Cetaceans,
the group that whales and dolphins are part of, are pretty smart creatures.
We’ve known that they can use ‘nets’ to catch food — the animals dive deep and
swim in a circle around their prey, blowing out bubbles as they do. The rising
body of air traps fish in the middle. Other whales then simply have to swim up
with their mouths open and cash in on the food with virtually zero effort.
The
team notes that the behavior is learned — the whales don’t instinctively engage
in bubble fishing. Not all humpbacks hunt this way, they add, and there is a
pretty wide range of variations in technique among those who do. However, it’s
always a cooperative process, requiring groups of whales to work together to
ensure that everyone has a chance at the buffet. --- ZME Science
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