Beaked Whales Found Near Coast And Shallower Water, Study Says

Beaked whales are known for their elusive character and live in some of the most remote areas on the planet, making them one of the least understood mammals.

A new study discovered that the population of Baird's beaked whale was found in shallower waters than previously reported.

Remarkable Adaptation

Beaked whales, which include 24 known species, have long been associated with deep ocean areas far from land.

These mammals are known for their exceptional diving ability, with a Cuvier's beaked whale holding the record for the deepest mammalian dive at 2,992 meters and the longest dive at 222 minutes.

The world now has a new and shocking view into the world of remote beaked whales thanks to a scientific investigation of Baird's beaked whale population.

The population has unexpectedly been discovered near the coast and in shallower waters than previously thought.

Whale biologists Olga Filatova and Ivan Fedutin have spent many years studying whales in the northern Pacific, and it was on an expedition to the Commander Islands in 2008 that they first spotted a group of Baird's beaked whales near the coast.

"We saw them every year until 2020, when Covid 19 prevented us from going back to the Commander Islands," said Filatova, a whale expert and postdoc at the Department of Biology and SDU Climate Cluster, University of Southern Denmark.

The experts discovered that this group of beaked whales frequents coastal areas within four kilometers of land and lives in waters less than 300 meters deep-conditions that are unusual for their species.

The occurrence of Baird's beaked whales in such unexpected settings suggests exceptional adaptation and calls into question the long-held belief that all beaked whales live only in deep, offshore waters.

This indicates that we cannot expect all members of a particular species to behave in the same manner.

This makes it impossible to plan species preservation; for example, scientists cannot plan based on the idea that beaked whales exclusively reside far out in the deep ocean. We have demonstrated that they can live in shallow and coastal waters. There could be other ecosystems that we are not aware of yet.

Learning Behavior

The study also revealed remarkable social dynamics and learning behaviors in whale communities.

According to the study, the Baird's beaked whales' predilection for shallow coastal waters may have arisen as a result of social learning mechanisms, including "local enhancement."

This process, in which animals learn the value of a locality by imitating their peers, appears to have resulted in the development of a cultural tradition among Baird's beaked whales on the Commander Islands.

The practice encompasses habitat and prey preferences, and it is the first time this cultural phenomenon has been recorded among beaked whales.

The researchers methodically documented 186 individuals of the Baird's beaked whale species, distinguishing between transient whales, who were only seen once, and residents, who were seen several times over the years.

Interestingly, some transient whales were seen in the shallow waters after interacting with residents, implying that these interactions aided in their learning about the area.

The implications of this study go beyond the scientific community, providing insight into the intricate world of marine creatures.

This also emphasizes the need to continue to explore and study the world's oceans, which contain endless secrets and unknown behaviors.