Scientists already know that humpback whales are baleen feeders, scooping up huge mouthfuls of fish and straining the water through fibrous plates before swallowing their catch. What they are trying to figure out is just how humpback whales find food, to begin with, and for that, they need your help.
There is a working theory. The small fish that humpback whales feed upon have some defensive tactics to avoid large predators like sharks and dolphins. They swarm in a large mass called a bait ball to trick predators into thinking they see a much larger fish rather than hundreds of small individuals. But this tactic may be backfiring when it comes to whales.
While they are in this bait ball, the fish fart, creating a noisy bubble effect from their digestive tracts to confuse and distract most predators. But this release of gas and the accompanying noise may allow humpback whales to home in on the bait ball’s location.
Gotham Whale, a non-profit whale research group, is raising funds to send their team of experts to New York to find out if their fishy flatulence theory floats. You can learn more about the team and their project here, and you can help by donating funds or setting up your fundraising campaign to amplify their efforts.
Check out this stunning video of humpback whales feeding, and you’ll see why scientists are clamoring to figure out how they accomplished such a feat!
