An international team of biologists has gathered new data on the hunting behavior of Sowerby’s beaked whale, a little-known species in the mesoplodont group. The researchers attached specialized sensors to the whales’ backs using suction cups, enabling the first-ever long-term tracking of their movements and feeding tactics. The initial findings reveal a lifestyle that diverges notably from related species, highlighting how this whale negotiates a very different ecological niche in the open ocean. The study was published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, signaling a shift in our understanding of deep-sea foraging among beaked whales and the ways scientists study these elusive creatures. Acknowledgments for the research team and the journal’s contribution are noted in the official publication, which documents the methods and early conclusions that follow this innovative sensor-based approach.
These marine mammals, like several other mesoplodont species, execute record-breaking dives that frequently reach several kilometers below the surface during extended hunts for deep-sea squid and fish. Their surface presence is rare, which has long hindered observation of their behavior. The new approach — deploying sensors on Sowerby’s belt teeth rather than relying on intermittent sightings — has opened a window into how they move and hunt underwater. The latest data show that Mesoplodon bidens operates with a distinctive tempo compared with its relatives. Instead of the high-energy sprint seen in some cetaceans, Sowerby’s beaked whales exhibit a slower, more deliberate pace during foraging. At depths around 800 to 1,300 meters, these animals swim with steady cadence, executing brief but frequent deep dives while employing echolocation with elevated click rates. This combination suggests a remarkable flexibility in how deep-sea predators exploit available prey and navigate the dim, pressurized environment far from the surface. The results imply that the depth spectrum available in the ocean supports a broader array of hunting strategies than previously recognized among mesoplodonts, hinting at a richer tapestry of ecological roles for deep-sea cetaceans. Taken together, the observations point to adaptive predation tactics that enable these whales to exploit niche food resources with surprising efficiency.
The researchers propose that Mesoplodon bidens may represent a broader strategy among beaked whales, one that balances slower sustained swimming with precise, high-frequency echolocation to locate and capture prey in dark, high-pressure zones. The ability to adjust dive timing, depth, and click patterns underscores a level of behavioral plasticity that allows this species to explore a wider array of deep-sea habitats. In turn, this challenges earlier assumptions that mesoplodonts follow a narrow set of deep-diving routines. By documenting how a relatively slow, methodical hunter can still achieve successful foraging at substantial depths, the study contributes a fresh perspective on the diversity of predatory tactics employed by toothed whales in the world’s oceans. The emerging picture is one of dynamic feeding strategies, where depth, prey type, and acoustic sensing interplay to shape how these animals survive and thrive in remote deep-sea environments.
Overall, the findings reinforce the idea that deep-diving whales possess a spectrum of hunting approaches that may evolve with prey availability and ocean conditions. The new sensor-based method supplies crucial data that were previously out of reach, enabling researchers to map how Mesoplodon bidens navigates its underwater world. The ongoing work promises to refine our understanding of beaked whale ecology and to illuminate how deep-sea ecosystems sustain their most elusive inhabitants. Further analyses are expected to extend the current results and to clarify how these whales balance energy expenditure with the rewards of successful predation in one of Earth’s most challenging habitats. The eventual synthesis of these insights could yield a richer, more nuanced view of mesoplodont foraging and the broader implications for deep-sea food webs.