Researchers Placed a Camera on a Whale And What It Recorded Took Everyone By Surprise
Giant marine mammals like whales and sharks often come up with new behaviors that leave scientists and observers wanting to know more. Despite centuries of research about them, these massive creatures constantly surprise everyone with their intelligence, social interactions, and unexpected feeding or traveling habits. For instance, scientists recently attached a camera tag to a humpback whale, hoping to get a glimpse of the underwater world. However, what they captured went far beyond anyone's expectations and has left everyone stunned.
Seeing a humpback whale while it is breaching is a truly unforgettable sight. These massive marine creatures jump into the air, sending water crashing down around them and leaving onlookers in awe. A group of experts at the NOAA Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary recorded this iconic moment, but from the whale's point of view. As the video begins, the text on the screen reads, “You’ve seen a breach, but have you seen it from the whale’s point of view?” It then features the stunning movements of a giant humpback whale diving and rising through the ocean currents. As reported by Discover Wildlife, the remarkable footage was shot by using harmless suction-cup tags placed on a whale named Spell.
You can watch the video here.
The caption of the video read, “While the tags can be programmed off for a timed release, they often pop off due to the whale’s natural behavior, such as breaching." Even in this case, the tag came off just moments after the whale's breach. Researchers reportedly study these jumps to learn about whale behavior and energy use, while wildlife enthusiasts and photographers capture the dramatic moments. The experts have also shared another similar video in which they place the camera on Spell's tail by using a drone. This was done to analyze a unique feeding behavior called kick-feeding.
In the caption of this video, they wrote, "One of our suction cup tags slid onto Spell's fluke and gave us an up-close view of her lobbing her tail at the surface." They added, "Whales in this feeding population will use their tail to stun prey, then blow bubbles to corral and swallow the fish. And what's even cooler - they teach each other this behavior!" Meanwhile, according to Ocean Conservancy, an adult humpback whales typically come up for air about every 7 to 15 minutes, while young calves need to surface much more often, about every 3 to 5 minutes.
Additionally, when a humpback whale is born, its mother immediately guides it to the surface so it can experience breathing air for the very first time. From that moment on, the mother whale reportedly stays close, constantly protecting and caring for her baby. Researchers also believe that a humpback whale leaps from the water and smacks their fins or tail on the surface to communicate with one another. Since sound moves faster and farther in water than on land, whales tend to send messages across great distances. A larger breach always creates a louder sound, allowing it to travel farther through the water.
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