Video Reveals Surprising Humpback Feeding Behavior | National Geographic

a group of biologist studying humpback

a group of biologist studying humpback whales at the Stellwagen bank National

whales at the Stellwagen bank National

whales at the Stellwagen bank National Marine Sanctuary invited the Crittercam

Marine Sanctuary invited the Crittercam

Marine Sanctuary invited the Crittercam team to join them in their research

cooter cams are a small

cooter cams are a small computer-controlled camera system we use

computer-controlled camera system we use

computer-controlled camera system we use to study animal behavior in their

to study animal behavior in their

to study animal behavior in their natural environment the critter cams on

natural environment the critter cams on

natural environment the critter cams on a section cut mount out at the end of

a section cut mount out at the end of

a section cut mount out at the end of this long pole boom it’s attached so now

this long pole boom it’s attached so now

this long pole boom it’s attached so now you’re seeing the view of a humpbacks

you’re seeing the view of a humpbacks

you’re seeing the view of a humpbacks world from riding on his back so the

world from riding on his back so the

world from riding on his back so the researchers have put 3d motion tags on

researchers have put 3d motion tags on

researchers have put 3d motion tags on the whales here and they’ve gotten

the whales here and they’ve gotten

the whales here and they’ve gotten records of this odd twisting rolling

records of this odd twisting rolling

records of this odd twisting rolling behavior that’s happening well below the

behavior that’s happening well below the

behavior that’s happening well below the surface where they can’t see but they’re

surface where they can’t see but they’re

surface where they can’t see but they’re not really sure what it is they are

not really sure what it is they are

not really sure what it is they are thinking it’s probably feeding of some

thinking it’s probably feeding of some

thinking it’s probably feeding of some sort but they can’t be certain now by

sort but they can’t be certain now by

sort but they can’t be certain now by using the critter cam we can figure out

using the critter cam we can figure out

using the critter cam we can figure out what’s really going on is it feeding

what’s really going on is it feeding

what’s really going on is it feeding like they thought or is it something

like they thought or is it something

like they thought or is it something else completely

so the curta cams on and we’re getting

so the curta cams on and we’re getting this great view of what the whales doing

this great view of what the whales doing

this great view of what the whales doing and here it begins to go up to the

and here it begins to go up to the

and here it begins to go up to the surface to get a breath and as it does

surface to get a breath and as it does

surface to get a breath and as it does it runs into this other whale and the

it runs into this other whale and the

it runs into this other whale and the critic game gets caught between the two

critic game gets caught between the two

critic game gets caught between the two and it almost gets knocked off its mount

and it almost gets knocked off its mount

and it almost gets knocked off its mount you can see the front bracket in the

you can see the front bracket in the

you can see the front bracket in the shot now the luckily the second bracket

shot now the luckily the second bracket

shot now the luckily the second bracket held in the camera stayed on as the

held in the camera stayed on as the

held in the camera stayed on as the whale dives towards the bottom it gets a

whale dives towards the bottom it gets a

whale dives towards the bottom it gets a lot darker so the camera is kind of

lot darker so the camera is kind of

lot darker so the camera is kind of straining to see in this low-light and

straining to see in this low-light and

straining to see in this low-light and here we actually enhance the image so we

here we actually enhance the image so we

here we actually enhance the image so we could see the detail better and it gets

could see the detail better and it gets

could see the detail better and it gets a bit grainy you’ll come in and you’ll

a bit grainy you’ll come in and you’ll

a bit grainy you’ll come in and you’ll see the the whale rotates as it

see the the whale rotates as it

see the the whale rotates as it approaches the bottom it’s rolling on

approaches the bottom it’s rolling on

approaches the bottom it’s rolling on its side and the camera twists actually

its side and the camera twists actually

its side and the camera twists actually so it’s pointed downwards and you see

so it’s pointed downwards and you see

so it’s pointed downwards and you see these little sand lance fish swarming

these little sand lance fish swarming

these little sand lance fish swarming all over the bottom that’s the prey that

all over the bottom that’s the prey that

all over the bottom that’s the prey that the whales going after but they’re not

the whales going after but they’re not

the whales going after but they’re not actually buried and so the whales are

actually buried and so the whales are

actually buried and so the whales are skimming right along the bottom of the

skimming right along the bottom of the

skimming right along the bottom of the sea but they’re not actually digging

sea but they’re not actually digging

sea but they’re not actually digging into it this bottom feigning behavior

into it this bottom feigning behavior

into it this bottom feigning behavior could be sometimes done by a whale by

could be sometimes done by a whale by

could be sometimes done by a whale by itself and sometimes multiple whales

itself and sometimes multiple whales

itself and sometimes multiple whales working together and so that’s the level

working together and so that’s the level

working together and so that’s the level of detail that

of detail that

of detail that visuals can give us that some of these

visuals can give us that some of these

visuals can give us that some of these other devices can’t this next shot is

other devices can’t this next shot is

other devices can’t this next shot is just fun while the whale was wearing the

just fun while the whale was wearing the

just fun while the whale was wearing the critter cam it breached it leapt up out

critter cam it breached it leapt up out

critter cam it breached it leapt up out of the water crashing back down this is

of the water crashing back down this is

of the water crashing back down this is pretty cool to watch from outside the

pretty cool to watch from outside the

pretty cool to watch from outside the whales perspective but to see it like

whales perspective but to see it like

whales perspective but to see it like this is just amazing