Bubble feeding trick spreads through humpback whale socia...

What’s Happening

Okay so Humpback whales off the west coast of Canada have learned a cooperative hunting technique from whales migrating into the area, and this cultural knowledge may help the population cope as food becomes scarce Life Bubble feeding trick spreads through humpback whale social groups Humpback whales off the west coast of Canada have learned a cooperative hunting technique from whales migrating into the area, and this cultural knowledge may help the population cope as food becomes scarce By Alessio Cozzolino 21 January 2026 Facebook / Meta Twitter / X icon Linkedin Reddit Email Humpback whales work together to trap fish with bubbles Jenn Dickie/North Coast Cetatean society An innovative feeding behaviour has spread rapidly through humpback whales in the fjords of western Canada, in a clear example of how cultural knowledge can help animal populations to survive.

Bubble-net feeding is a group hunting technique in which whales blow bubbles to corral fish, then surge upwards together to gulp them down. Orcas have begun wearing salmon hats again – and we may soon know why “It’s an activity that’s done cooperatively, given the level of coordination and division of labour involved,” says Ellen Garland at the University of St Andrews, UK. (it feels like chaos)

The behaviour has been documented for decades among humpbacks ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) in Alaskan waters, and researchers have kicked off seeing it just in the northeastern Pacific population off Canada.

The Details

But it is tricky for researchers to establish whether complex behaviours like this are transmitted through social learning — rather than being independently found out . Free to The Earth Edition Unmissable news about our planet, delivered straight to your inbox each month.

To To tease apart the process, Éadin O’Mahony at the University of St Andrews and her colleagues analysed field observation data from 2004 to 2023, focusing on 526 individuals living in the Kitimat Fjord System in British Columbia, within Gitga’at First Nation territory. The team identified the whales using images of their tail flukes, which are unique to each animal.

Why This Matters

The scientific community tends to find developments like this significant.

This could have implications for future research in this area.

The Bottom Line

This story is still developing, and we’ll keep you updated as more info drops.

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