00:03Killer whales or orcas might be known as the apex predators of the ocean. However,
00:08a new study has found humpback whales are also clever hunters. This video was captured in the
00:14waters just off the coast of southeast Alaska. What you're seeing are concentric bubbles that
00:18have been blown by the whales. But they're not just for show. New research by investigators
00:22with the University of Hawaii at Manoa have found these bubble rings are actually nets,
00:27which help the whales catch krill. With the researchers writing that these whales
00:31skillfully blow bubbles in patterns that form nets with internal rings, actively controlling
00:36details like the number of rings, the size and depth of the net, and the spacing between bubbles,
00:41finding that they help them guide and trap krill and consume seven times as much food. What's more,
00:46the experts say this appears to be a learned behavior, as not all humpbacks hunt this way.
00:51Experts say the whales' time in these Alaskan waters is critical, as they migrate to warmer
00:55waters for calving season. During that time, the adults do not eat, meaning they need to get their
01:00fill to last them throughout that season.
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