by New research results show that the killer whales based in the south are changed using Seang that they have changed, and the researchers believe that it is the first time that researchers have documented marine mammals that create the tools.
The research published on Monday in the magazine Current Biology documents about 30 cases in which whales rolled Stiel’s of Seang against each other and withdraw the dead skin. They also documented the whales that purchased a pipeline from Seang and used their teeth to shorten seatang and design them in a correct form for maintenance behavior.
“You will not only find objects in the area and use it as a tool. You will find objects, modify objects and use it as a tool,” said Michael Weiss, author of the study, the research director at the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor, Washington.
A seagull stem is visible between two killer whales when they rub against each other. (Center for walks)
It is the first time that whales have been documented to create and change tools, even though humpback whales have been seen how air bubbles catch krill and fish while hunting.
The researchers believe that behavior is common at Orcas based in south, a population who visits waters from the state of Washington. The behavior seems to be more common in whales that genetically help with the help of hygiene, but also with the bond as a social group that is common in other types of mammals.
“It fits well with care in other types of animals such as monkeys and hammers,” said Weiss. “They will maintain and clean each other to maintain special relationships.”
Deborah Giles, the science and research director of the non-profit preserving group Wild Orca, said that she was not surprised that the animals are capable of such a complex task.
“They are incredibly clever animals. The morphology of their brain shows us their ability to learn social learning, language, memory and emotions,” she said. “This is another cultural thing that you are involved. You have learned it from family members, and it probably serves several purposes – skin that seeps away social bonds and are strengthening.”
A killer whale holds a piece of Kelp in the mouth. (Center for walks)
Killer whales living in the south are a critically endangered population that is protected as part of the marine mammalian protection law. Their current population is about 73 years old. The animals are social and live in narrow family groups, which are led by mothers and grandmothers.
The whales receive from the Center for Whale Research Tracking numbers and are closely observed by researchers, photographers and whale observers – especially if they are near PUGET Sound like Seattle near PUGET.
“I would say that it is the best examined whales on the planet, regardless of species because it has been going on for 50 years,” said Giles.
How has this breathtaking behavior remembered the researcher for decades?
They didn’t have the right perspective.
“It is really cryptic behavior. It happens almost completely under water and it is a piece of Kelp that is trapped between two animals that are only about 2 feet long,” said Weiss.
Recently, researchers have started using drones to document the whales from an air perspective. Since the drone technology has improved, the data you collect also have.
“What really changed us in the 2024 field season-we have a new drone,” said Weiss and noticed that it delivered a video with a higher resolution.
He said the researchers first noticed a whale that pressed Kelp against another whale in April, and then observed that whales rub against each other for about 15 minutes.
When the researchers noticed the strange behavior, they started to see it more often.
“We saw a lot – until the point where we fly most days with the drone, we see at least a few whales of this behavior,” said Weiss.
The researchers suspect that behavior has taken place all the time.
“We didn’t have the right point of view. I believe that this has probably always happened,” said Giles. “I think we have just scratched the surface of the understanding of these animals, partly because of the technology.”
The residents of the south have been in the limelight of nature conservation efforts for decades. The whales face a number of threats, including the falling amount and quality of the prey, toxic pollution and disorders due to vascular sounds, according to the marine mammalian commission. Some studies indicate that the residents of the south are on the way to extinction if more aggressive measures are not taken.
Weiss said that the new findings offer another reason why it is important to take care of the species.
“Discovering something like this, late in the game, how long we have studied you, says that there is much more to learn, and you have to be nearby to learn these things,” he said. “This is not just a collection of 73 whales … it is a unique culture and also a society. These are whales with a number of traditions that go back thousands of years.”
This article was originally published on nbcnews.com
