HOW TO FIND AND CATCH YOUR FAVOURITE MEAL AS A WHALE
Blue, minke and humpback whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises, and orcas have fascinating and diverse methods for finding food in the ocean. These methods often involve a combination of sight, sound and other senses, showcasing the incredible adaptations these marine mammals have developed.
BALEEN WHALES
Blue, minke and humpback whales belong to the baleen whale category and primarily rely on their sense of sight and hearing to locate large swarms of krill or small fish. While they may not "hear" the krill directly, they use their acute hearing to detect the sounds of krill swarms or fish schools and their movements in the water. They also rely on their vision to spot dense clusters of their prey.
Humpbacks are particularly known for their bubble-net feeding technique, where they create a "net" of bubbles to herd and trap fish.
Once having located their prey, baleen whales will use their baleen plates to filter vast amounts of water and capture their tiny prey.
Overall, the combination of sight and hearing helps these baleen whales efficiently find and capture their tiny prey in the ocean.
TOOTHED WHALES
White-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises, as toothed whales, use echolocation to hunt for food. By emitting clicks and listening to the returning echoes, they can detect the size, shape, and location of their prey, even in murky waters. This ability allows them to navigate and hunt with precision.
Orcas, or killer whales, are apex predators with a diverse diet. They use a combination of sophisticated hunting techniques, including echolocation and coordinated group hunting strategies, to capture a wide range of prey, from fish to large marine mammals. Their intelligence and social cooperation make them one of the most effective hunters in the ocean.
All these adaptations highlight the incredible ways in which different species of whales and dolphins have evolved to thrive in their underwater habitats. Their ability to use sight, sound, and other senses to locate food is a testament to their remarkable survival skills.
✒️ Witold (guide) @wayfarers.ow
📷 Sarah (captain / guide)
