‘Hungry’ sea creatures lunge through bubble clouds for mouthfuls of prey. See them
.jpg "Humpback whales seem playful to humans, but they are clever and ruthless predators to schooling fish in the North Atlantic.")
A group of whale watchers spotted several humpbacks on July 16 off the coast of Massachusetts. As they looked closer, the group with Cape Ann Whale Watch realized they were witnessing something exciting: It was mealtime for the three giants.
“We spent our morning with three VERY hungry humpbacks utilizing bubble clouds to capture their prey,” the organization said in a post recounting the sighting.
To humans, humpbacks are known as some of the most playful of whales, beloved for their surface athletics. To the fish they eat, however, humpbacks are ruthless predators whose clever scare tactics result in massacre for schooling fish like anchovies and cod.
When humpbacks in the North Atlantic are ready to eat, they will locate a school of fish. As they approach the school, the whales corner the group by blowing massive bubbles into the water.
The bubbles create an air curtain in the water, disorienting the fish, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Panicked, the fish begin to swim in a circle to avoid the curtain. The circle gets tighter and tighter. Soon, the frightened fish are swimming in a sphere shape.
Once the humpback sees the fish sphere sufficiently tighten, it lunges toward it – jaws agape. The humpback emerges with a mouthful of food.
Growing up to 60 feet in length, humpback whales eat up to 1.5 tons (3,306 pounds) of food per day during feeding months, which occur during summers. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the animals put on the fat they live off of during breeding months the rest of the year.
Cape Ann Whale Watch says the three whales it saw were likely “bulking up to withstand their long lean winter months.”
Boaters are warned to keep at least 100 feet of distance between themselves and a feeding whale to avoid getting hurt.
Photos posted by the organization show the whales at all points in their feast, but from a distance.
“This has been one of the most unique whale-watching seasons,” it said.
This story was originally published July 17, 2024 at 4:57 PM with the headline "‘Hungry’ sea creatures lunge through bubble clouds for mouthfuls of prey. See them."