Orcas spotted using seaweed to groom each other
Orca whales (Orcinus Orca) are among the most formidable ocean apex predators. When they do not attack the biggest fish in the world, they attack boats or follow the powerful large white shark for their tasty livers. A group of well-studied orcas between the state of Washington and British Columbia now has a new competence to add to its manufacturing and its directory use. The whales create tools from Varech and seem to use them to help each other. The results are detailed in a study published on June 23 in the Cell Press Journal Current biology.
The use of tools in animals shows a higher level of more complex social learning, such as learning past experiences. The use of tools can also indicate greater mental flexibility, social learning and transmission (or teach something to another animal) and a greater level of adaptability. And as we know about the theory of evolution, greater adaptability can make or break the survival of a species.
Other animals, including some humans, the first humans, non -human primates, sea otters, elephants and bird species are known to use objects to make tools. While the bubble nets that the humpback whales use to catch fish are considered as tools by certain scientists, our knowledge of the use of tools in marine animals is much more limited.
[ Related: Orcas only need one breath between dives. ]
He takes two
This particular study focused on the population of resident orcas of the South in the Salish Sea, a critical group of extinction of killers of killers with less than 80 individuals. Residents of the South also represent a genetic population, ecologically and culturally distinct. Unlike other killer whales called Biggs whalers or transients, southern residents eat almost exclusively salmon.
In an effort to find out more about their social behavior and their food research techniques, a team from the Center for Whale Research in Washington, from Northeastern University to Boston and the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom has used air surveys with new useful technologies.
“He really started last summer,” said Rachel John, co-author of the study and master’s student at the University of Exeter Popular science. “We got a new drone with an improved camera with much higher resolution than our two previous drones, and that allowed us to see this behavior, essentially for the first time.”
During the summer, they observed several cases where the whales seemed to create tools by breaking the ends of the stems of Varech Bull. The whales then pressed pieces of Varech against a partner, rolling the large seaweeds between their bodies for long periods. The behavior is called Allokelping and is similar to Allolopreing – or to a grooming another individual.
Lying-stretching killers in the Salish Sea, part of the Pacific Ocean between Washington State in the United States and British Columbia in Canada. Credit: whale research center, NMFS Noaa permit 27038
The team attended this behavior in the orcas resident in all social groups, both sexes and all age groups. They found that whales were more likely to prepare closely linked whales or partners in the same way.
In addition, there is evidence that whales with more moult or dead skin are more likely to engage in grooming. This indicates that Kelp’s game could fulfill a kind of exfoliation function. According to John, looking at this from a human lens makes allokeping in general even more impressive.
“When you see the videos, the whales make this so easy. But when you really think about it, using any type of tool when you don’t have hands or similar appendages, it’s super crazy,” she said. “They simply use their teeth and the momentum of their body and the consciousness of the place where their body is in space and with their partner.”
Two killers (known as J51 and J19) Alllokelping. The behavior was observed in several orca groups. Credit: whale research center, NMFS Noaa permit 27038.
“The power of new observation methods”
While the summer research season begins, the team will continue to monitor the behavior of this population to see if other models are emerging. The use of these new cameras also opens up new ways to understand the use of the tool in marine mammals.
“What I find most remarkable is that, although it is apparently a common behavior – we see it most of the time, we pilot our drone on these whales – it had not yet been discovered in this population despite almost 50 years of dedicated observation,” said the co -author of the Michael Weiss study of the Center for Whale Research. “For me, it shows not only the power of new observation methods, but also how much we still have to learn about these animals.”
More offers, reviews and purchasing guides
