Home » Underwater battle between whales: the exceptional first-person video – Magazine

Underwater battle between whales: the exceptional first-person video – Magazine

by admin
Clash of humpback whales (Photo: Olaf Meynecke)

Peaceful giants? Not really and not always. A rare movie edited by a team of researchers from Griffith University (Australia) documents an unsuspected underwater combat among some specimens of megattera (Megaptera novaeangliae). In the depths of the sea, far from prying eyes, large cetaceans (whales, fin whales and the like) can get involved in very intense fights, especially during the mating period.

The video captures the moment when an adult male humpback whale “pests” a mother and her cub, unleashing the protective reaction of two other younger specimens, which after repeated collisions force it to move away. The confrontation is observable from the perspective of the attacker, which scientists had previously succeeded in stare at cameras with suction cups. The team, led by marine biologist Olaf Meynecke, was studying the behavior of humpback whales during their annual migration along the east coast of Australia.

Meynecke explained that applying devices to large cetaceans is a very complex operation, which requires patience and adequate precautions, especially since whales do not like to be touched. As if that weren’t enough, the cameras they often tend to come off when the animal moves, and the few times this does not happen the images are of poor quality due to the high turbidity of the water. Being able to resume a fight in a clear way is therefore something exceptional, the result of a series of lucky circumstances not easily repeatable.

Commenting on the collected material, Meynecke added that males of humpback whales typically exhibit their strength to try to impress a potential partner. In clashes they use their enormous size to lash out at opponents, taking aim vulnerable points like stomach and ears. Fights rarely result in the death of a contender, although there are reports of whales beached with fractured jaws. “One way to distinguish males from females is to look for scars,” concluded the biologist.

See also  Arnaboldi and Mortara derby for the blazon Garlasco closes with Kolbe Legnano

You may also like

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More

Privacy & Cookies Policy