Bottom-feeding behavior of Humpback whales

Known for their interesting ways of capturing prey, the humpback whales have recently been discovered to have found a new method of feeding itself; bottom feeding (specifically in the Southern Gulf).

"Humpbacks have not been known as bottom-feeders, yet this i their dominant feeding mode in this region." Says Colin Ware, a professor at the University of New Hampshire, "You've got this prominent species and until now, nobody knew how they were feeding." Ware and his colleagues have gathered data from 52 humpbacks in the region.

To track the movements of the whales from below the surface, scientists have put recording tags on the whale's backs. Ware also developed a software called "TrackPlot" to translate the tags on the humpbacks. This allowed for Ware and his colleagues to discover three different ways the humpbacks were bottom-feeding: simple side rolls, side roll inversions, and repetitive scooping.

Article:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131030125324.htm

Picture: http://theterramarproject.org/thedailycatch/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/terra-mar-humpback-under-surface-600x320.jpg