Drones spot ‘first evidence' of orcas making tools, study says. ‘Remarkable'
Now, the apex predators have been observed engaging in a 'remarkable' new behavior: fashioning tools from underwater plants to massage one another.
The discovery — published June 23 in Current Biology — constitutes the 'first evidence' recorded of tool-making by marine mammals.
'We were amazed when we first noticed this,' Michael Weiss, the director of the Center for Whale Research (CWR), said in a University of Exeter news release.
Allokelping
Researchers from both institutions stumbled upon the previously unknown behavior while flying drones over the 'southern resident' orcas in the Salish Sea, located between Washington and British Columbia.
'I was watching one of those really close-up videos when I saw something that looked like a brown stick between two whales that were in contact with each other,' Rachel John, an Exeter master's student, said in the release.
Researchers realized this was not an isolated incident. Close analysis revealed it happened again and again — and involving the same steps each time.
Whales were seen biting off the tips of bull kelp stalks, placing them between themselves and another whale and then rolling the stalk between their two bodies over long periods — with the longest lasting 12 minutes.
This newfound behavior — dubbed 'allokelping' — is distinct from 'kelping,' a phenomenon previously observed in multiple whale species, wherein whales move kelp with their bodies, heads and fins.
Allokelping, by contrast, involves deliberately selecting, trimming and manipulating kelp with a partner — qualifying it as tool-making, previously thought to be the exclusive domain of land animals.
Researchers documented allokelping on eight separate days out of the 12-day study period, indicating it could be a very common behavior among southern resident killer whales.
Social bonding and good hygiene
It's not exactly clear why the killer whales rub themselves with kelp stalks, but a few hypotheses were put forward.
One is that the behavior — seen among relatives and similar aged animals — plays an important part of the whales' social lives.
'We know touch is really important,' Darren Croft, the executive director of the CWR, said in the release. 'In primates – including humans – touch moderates stress and helps to build relationships. We know killer whales often make contact with other members of their group – touching with their bodies and fins – but using kelp like this might enhance this experience.'
Allokelping could also benefit orcas' skin (some dermatologists have lauded its effects on human skin as well).
'Whales and dolphins have a variety of strategies to help them slough dead skin, and this may be yet another adaptation for this purpose,' Croft said.
Bull kelp, a type of algae, is also known to have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Critical moment
The finding comes at a critical moment for southern resident killer whales as just 73 individuals remain, according to the CWR's latest census, conducted in July.
The whales primarily feed on King salmon, also known as Chinook, a species that experienced significant declines due to climate change, over-fishing and habitat destruction.
The future of the whale population — which does not interbreed with others — looks 'very bleak,' Weiss said.
'We're not seeing the birth rate that's required to sustain the population,' Weiss said. 'Under the status quo, all of our projections indicate the population will continue to decline.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Why cats prefer sleeping on their left side
Cats prefer to sleep on their left side to protect themselves from predators, a study has found. The pets sleep for up to 16 hours a day and often curl up or stretch out for a snooze in opportune places. But the way the animal settles down is not random, and there is an evolutionarily hard-wired logic underpinning it, according to a study from the Ruhr University Bochum in Germany. Scientists found cats lie on their left side around two-thirds of the time, which shows that it was done deliberately. They looked at clips on YouTube of more than 400 sleeping cats and logged which side they were sleeping on. Data revealed that 266 of the cats (66.5 per cent) were on their left side, leaving scientists to conclude this was a survival trait from their history in the wild. Sleeping on their left side means when they wake, their left eye is able to see the local area unobstructed by the cat's own body. This visual information is then processed by the right side of the brain. This hemisphere is what processes threats and is responsible for escaping danger as well as knowing an individual animal's position. This puts the cat at an advantage compared to if it was to sleep on its right side – when the information is processed by the left side of the brain, which is less specialised to aid a swift escape. This leftward preference is just one of the many ways in which cats protect themselves. 'Sleep is one of the most vulnerable states for an animal, as anti-predator vigilance is drastically reduced, especially in deep sleeping phases,' according to the study. 'Domestic cats are both predators and prey (e.g. for coyotes) and sleep an average of 12–16 hours a day. 'Therefore, they spend almost 60-65% of their lifetime in a highly vulnerable state. To reduce predation risks, cats prefer to rest in elevated positions so that predators are more visible to them and the cats, in turn, are more visually concealed from predators. 'In such a spot, predators can access cats only from below. Thus, their preference for resting in an elevated position can provide comfort, safety, and a clear vantage point for monitoring their environments. 'We hypothesised that a lateralised sleeping position further increases the chances of quickly detecting predators (or to identify careless prey) when awoken.' Pregnant cows are known to prefer their left side while sleeping for a similar reason, experts believe. The scientists also found that the pawedness of a cat, whether it preferred its left or right side, is likely not to blame for the sleeping preference. A 2017 study found that male cats tend to prefer their left paws and females are more right-paw dominant. 'We are inclined to believe that the significant leftward bias in sleeping position in cats may have been evolutionarily driven by hemispheric asymmetries of threat processing,' the scientists add in their paper, published in the journal Current Biology. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
New York Times
6 days ago
- New York Times
Orcas Use Kelp as a Possible Grooming Tool
A hundred feet or more above the Salish Sea — high enough to avoid spooking any marine mammals below — a drone camera recorded orcas periodically pairing up to perform a sort of swimming, rolling hug. That was nothing new for the Southern Residents, a group of orcas in the Pacific Northwest that lives south of other groups. But when researchers inspected the drone videos, which were filmed last year, they noticed something they had not seen before: A little piece of kelp was often sandwiched between the creatures' bodies. The research, published this week in the journal Current Biology, is among the most compelling evidence yet that marine mammals make and use tools, a skill more commonly attributed to terrestrial animals like monkeys, humans and crows. Michael Weiss, an author of the study who is the research director for the Center for Whale Research in Washington State, said that the Southern Residents had long used their intelligence and social skills to adapt to a challenging environment. The group of 73 orcas, which are often called killer whales, has been shrinking for decades and was listed as endangered in 2005. 'I'm not surprised that we eventually found tool use in killer whales,' Dr. Weiss said. 'But it was obviously a surprise to see this particular behavior, because we just had no idea it was happening.' Kelp is not that hard to find in the waters near British Columbia and Washington State, where these orcas generally stay. But they were not just grabbing any old floating stalk. They were using their teeth to break off pieces, which were almost always about two feet long. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Yahoo
Orcas use kelp to groom each other, US researchers discover
The Brief Southern resident killer whales have been observed using detached seaweed as tools to rub against each other, a first for marine mammals. This unique behavior, called "allokelping," is thought to strengthen social bonds and maintain skin health among the whales. The survival of these critically endangered whales and their distinctive culture is threatened by declining food sources and warming oceans impacting kelp forests. Southern resident killer whales in the Salish Sea have been observed using detached pieces of seaweed to rub against each other, the first recorded instance of tool-making by marine mammals. This behavior, called "allokelping," may strengthen social bonds and contribute to skin health among the whales. Researchers from the Center for Whale Research (CWR) and the University of Exeter documented the behavior using drone footage. Whales were seen biting off kelp stalks, positioning them between themselves and a partner, and rolling the kelp between their bodies for extended periods. What they're saying "We were amazed when we first noticed this behavior," said Dr. Michael Weiss, CWR research director. He noted that bull kelp is "firm but flexible, like a filled garden hose, with a slippery outer surface," making it an ideal grooming tool. Unlike general "kelping," moving kelp for play or to remove parasites, allokelping involves the deliberate creation and cooperative manipulation of a tool by two whales. Dr. Weiss highlighted that the behavior is widespread among all ages and pods of southern resident killer whales, suggesting it's an important part of their social lives. Professor Darren Croft, of the University of Exeter and CWR's executive director, explained the significance of touch in animals, including humans, for moderating stress and building relationships. He suggested that using kelp could enhance this tactile experience and also benefit skin health. Brown algaes like bull kelp also have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that may offer additional benefits. By the numbers As of CWR's last census in July 2024, only 73 southern resident killer whales remain. Their numbers are critically low due to declining Chinook salmon populations (their primary food source), pollution, and noise from human activities. Bull kelp forests, where the whales source their tools, are also declining due to rising ocean temperatures. Big picture view Dr. Weiss expressed concern for the population's future. "Under the status quo, all of our projections indicate the population will continue to decline," Dr. Weiss said. He emphasized that losing these whales means losing "a complex society and a deep, unique set of cultural traditions." Professor Croft added that protecting kelp forests may be crucial for preserving this unique culture. The study, titled "Wild killer whales manufacture and use allogrooming tools," was published in the journal Current Biology. The Source Information in this story came from the Center for Whale Research. New US Marshals photos show high-stakes WA manhunt for Travis Decker $79M Seattle-area home is now most expensive listing in Pacific Northwest Seattle's Duwamish River Festival canceled over concerns of ICE agents Seattle to consider issuing $1k fines for illegal graffiti Report states half a million WA drivers have expired tabs To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
