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Unexpected heroes of the sea - 'Observers were clearly puzzled'

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'[O]ut of NOWHERE, a humpback whale came trumpeting in...'

Researchers are baffled by humpback whale behavior after the usually friendly giants begin rescuing animals from orcas.

Highlights

By Kenya Sinclair (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
CALIFORNIA NETWORK (https://www.youtube.com/c/californianetwork)
8/7/2016 (8 years ago)

Published in Green

Keywords: Humpback whales, orcas, animals, rescue, calf

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Marine ecologist Robert Pitman witnessed a pod of killer whales hunting a Weddell seal in Antarctica back in 2009.

The orcas knocked the lone seal from its icy perch and as they closed in for the kill, a humpback whale rose from beneath the depths to maroon the seal on its upturned belly - saving it from the hungry pod.


As the seal began slipping down the whale's side, it appeared to Pitman that the whale used its flippers to carefully aid the seal's clamor aboard. It wasn't until the orcas dispersed that the whale released the seal.

The astonishing event prompted Pitman to investigate whether the sudden heroic act was a once-in-a-lifetime event or if other whales were exhibiting similar behavior.

Upon deeper inquiries and further research, Pitman discovered several recorded incidents, 89 percent of which included humpback whales intervening only when the orcas began their hunt or when they were already engaged in a hunt.

Pitman discovered 115 documented interactions reported by 54 different observers between 1951 and 2012, the details of which can be found in the study titled "Humpback whales interfering when mammal-eating killer whales attack other species: Mobbing behavior and interspecific altruism?" published in the scientific journal Marine Mammal Science.


One amazing story includes an instance in which a gray whale is separated from her calf amid a pod of killer whales"

"[O]ut of NOWHERE, a humpback whale came trumpeting in followed by another and then another until we had about 5 or more humpbacks in the immediate area.

"It was strange because during the entire journey with several observers on effort, not a single humpback whale had been observed. It seemed quite clear that the KW/gray whale interaction had attracted the humpbacks, though I cannot say whether it was motivated by curiosity, playfulness or an act of benevolence.

"The result however was that the gray whale cow/calf pair was able to escape. [On other occasions] I also personally observed several sea lions surviving predation attempts as a result of humpback whales distracting killer whales."

In most of the first-hand stories, the humpback whales rescued animals in pairs. Scientists are currently unsure of what prompted the whales to begin their vigilante watch over the sea, though several theories are under investigation.

Some believe the humpbacks are purposely intimidating orcas as a show of power, to make killer whales less likely to attack humpback calves, while others suggest the behavior is evidence of a more emotional and complicated intelligence than previously suspected.

Regardless of their motives, humpback whales appear to be the newest heroes to swim the sea. Researchers continue to investigate the interesting phenomenon and the sea can now be considered slightly safer for marine mammals.

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