The blue whale, the largest animal that ever lived on earth, never ceases to amaze scientists. The last two findings are interrelated. On the one hand, it became clear that these gigantic mammals ‘dance’ to the sound of the wind in search of food; on the other hand, they cooperate with each other and When a blue whale finds a large amount of food, it emits call sounds to share the feast with its fellows..
Research led by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) – the latest research now published in ‘Ecology Letters’ – has shed light on the movements of blue whales.balenoptera musculus) and her foraging strategies. They hope their findings will serve to find ways to better protect this and other species.
The research team used a directional hydrophone (underwater microphone) integrated with other advanced technologies at MBARI’s underwater observatory to listen for blue whale sounds. They used these sounds to track the movements of marine mammals for two years and found that: these ocean giants react to changes in the wind, ‘dancing’ to the rhythm.
Blue whales, which are in danger of extinction, notice when the wind changes their habitat and identify places caused by cold water rising to the surface. the enormous presence of its staple food: krill. “Finding these dense clumps for an animal weighing up to 165 tons is a matter of survival,” the authors write.
On the central coast of California, in the spring and summer the so-called ‘coastal ledge‘. From March to July, seasonal winds push the top layer of water towards the sea, allowing the cold water below to rise to the surface.
watching the ocean
Cooler, nutrient-rich water allows it to breed. phytoplanktonfrom tiny krill to whales, it strengthens the food web in Monterey Bay.
“When the winds create a rising event, blue whales seek out cooler water plumes where krill are most abundant. When the upwelling ends, the whales move out of the sea to a habitat that is crossed by shipping lanes, the researchers say.
Building on previous MBARI research led by Kelly Benoit-Bird, a senior scientist at Aquarium, this latest research revealed that: when coastal uplift is strongest, anchovies and krill form dense swarms of hundreds of millions of specimens..
“We now know that blue whales seek out these places where there are abundant food sources.“, says John Ryan, a biological oceanographer at MBARI and lead author of this latest study.
While scientists have long known that blue whales seasonally invade Monterey Bay during the budding season for small crustaceans, this research closely tracks this process on a very fine scale in both space (kilometers) and time (days to weeks). demonstrated what they did.
“The integration of technologies to measure the sounds of these whales allowed this important discovery. How do groups of predators find food in a dynamic ocean?. “We are excited about the discoveries we can make in the future by listening to blue whales and other ocean animals.”
Risk of collision with ships
Scientists still have many unanswered questions about the biology and ecology of blue whales. They are elusive animals that can travel very long distances underwater very quickly. hard to watch. Acoustic monitoring seems like a great way to get around this hurdle.
This new methodology is not only useful for understanding how whales and other species interact with their environment and with each other, but also for progress in the management and conservation. It’s a game changer and takes both cetacean biology and biological oceanography to the next level,” said Jeremy Goldbogen, Associate Professor at Stanford University and co-author of the study.
Despite the protections adopted by various governments, blue whales are in danger of extinction mainly due to the risk of collision with ships.. This study showed that blue whales in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary regularly occupy the habitat through which shipping lanes pass.
“Acoustic tracking of whales can provide resource managers with real-time information to reduce risk. boat speed reduction or course change in critical times,” the researchers say.
“Such integrated tools can allow us to monitor and even predict spatially and temporally, short-lived biological spots. Southall Environmental Associates Inc. “This promises to be a breakthrough in adaptive risk management for protected and endangered species,” said Brandon Southall, president and chief scientist and co-author of the study.
because the ocean is full of ‘sounds’from the intricate song compositions of humpback whales to the chatter of dolphins. Interpreting them can help many species escape from extinction.
Reference work: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ele.14116
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