Humpback whales use 'complex bubbles' as tool for hunting

By Aynur Seyma Asan

ANKARA (AA) – Researchers have discovered that humpback whales turn water into a "complex bubble net" and use it as a "tool" for hunting, according to a research published on Wednesday.

Researchers from the Marine Mammal Research Program at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology and the Alaska Whale Foundation studied the behavior of humpback whales in Alaska using drones and tracking devices.

Humpback whales create "complex bubbles" to hunt krill and actively control the size, depth, and spacing of the nets formed by these bubbles, the researchers observed.

Experts noted that this behavior is unique to humpback whales and estimated that using this technique, the whales could catch seven times more prey in a single attempt without expending much energy.

Researchers also pointed out that this behavior places humpback whales among the rare group of animals that create and use their own tools for hunting.

The study's findings were published in the journal "Royal Society Open Science."