Khaberni - A study published in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that northern whales may use dolphins for collective hunting, indicating an unusual cooperative behavior between these two marine species.
The study clarified that the interaction between northern whales and Pacific white-sided dolphins is not random during food hunting.
Scientists, who studied footage recorded by drones, audio recordings, and underwater scenes, concluded that the two types of animals work as one team. Dolphins are often spotted near groups of northern whales that exclusively feed on Chinook salmon, while dolphins do not hunt this type of fish and typically feed on herring.
The researchers recorded that dolphins chase salmon, which can measure up to about one meter in length, with northern whales following them. After the whales capture and share the prey among themselves, the dolphins eat what remains. It was noted that northern whales, which usually defend their prey aggressively, showed no annoyance from this cooperation.
The researchers concluded that this interaction was not a random coincidence, but indicates a level of coordination and communal behavior consistent with joint hunting. Collective hunting can help both animals expand their food searching methods and increase their efficiency.
However, the study indicates that scientists still need to fully determine the extent of interaction between these animals to fully understand the dynamics of their cooperation.
