How do humpback whales catch their prey?

When it comes to feeding, humpback whales are nothing if not resourceful. Their most common technique is to dive at high speed with their mouths wide open, gulping down huge volumes of prey-filled water. But sometimes these cetaceans use an even more sophisticated strategy.

American scientists have managed to film a hunting behavior that had never before been confirmed. The technique, known as pectoral herding, was documented from the air using drones and below the surface using cameras attached to two whales.

In the footage, the whales burst out of the water with their mouths agape, surrounded by two rings of bubbles. At first glance, the movement looks somewhat chaotic. But look more closely and you can see the whale perform a kind of rotation with its long pectoral fins before breaking the surface. And that movement is where the genius of the technique lies.

The scientists observed that the whale releases a “net” of bubbles below the surface, then turns on itself with its pectoral fins outstretched to create a physical barrier that keeps the prey from escaping. All it has to do then is steer its victims into its gaping mouth.