If You´re Not Bubble Netting, You´re Not Doing It Right

¨They´re bubble whating?¨ is the usual response when we tell someone what the whales in front of them are doing. ¨They are bubble netting.¨ It´s a complex feeding behavior that is seen in Alaska amongst humpback whales that come there in the summer to gorge on the bounty of sea soup in the water. Humpbacks feed mostly on tiny creatures such as plankton and krill, but sometimes they get an appetite for something larger, in particular, herring. That´s where the bubble netting comes in. These normally solitary Humpback whales join up and use teamwork to confuse and cordon off these small fish. Each member of the group has a set task and repeats that task over and over again during the feeding sessions. One whale will dive deep and then swim in circles back toward the surface while blowing bubbles. The others then begin swimming up through the rising bubble curtain. During this, some of the whales may flash their pectoral fins or let out a high pitched sort of scream to further disorientate the herring. Just before reaching the surface the whales open their mouths wide and engorge the herring. Needless to say, it´s a sight to see and something that is best witnessed. These photos show what it looks like at the surface as dozens of gulls fight for the scraps next to the humpbacks.