Canadian Humpback Whales regain ancient feeding techniques

Canadian Humpback Whales are learning the bubble net feeding technique to feed all over again. Scientists are saying this techniques is crucial to the survival of these whales.

A new study done by the  Proceedings of the Royal Society B set out that bubble techniques will make sure that the population of humpback whales in the North Pacific seas will increase and rebound after a decline of 20% of the species from 2012 to 2021 due to whaling.

Which after the whales started to increase in population by 8% each year.

The bubble technique can be used by a solo whale or a pod of whales. This is where they go underneath a school of fish and blow bubbles up in a spiral or circle motion to trap the fish and force them up. Then the whales waiting on top will eat the fish or if a solo whale they will go up and feed.

Images from Research Gate

The study said Canadian humpback whales where able to regain this feeding technique from whales that immigrated to cooler waters and seas that had more fish so that they could survive.

In 2014 to 2016 there was a Pacific Marine Heatwave which the scientists found coincided with the bubble technique widening in the whale community in Kitimat Fjord System of northern British Columbia, Canada (where the research was conducted).

This meant that the whales were working as a group and widening their social structures and networks, leading to Canadian water whales learning this ancient way of feeding again.

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featured image: https://animalia.bio/humpback-whale Christopher Michael