Original photo by slowmotiongli/ iStock
When they aren’t busy attacking yachts or starring in beloved children’s movies, killer whales have an even more impressive hobby: making their own tools.
Scientists were initially unfazed by footage of the imposing creatures rubbing against one another for up to 15 minutes at a time because “whales do weird things,” as behavioral ecologist Michael Weiss told CNN. But a closer look revealed the animals were actually rubbing strands of kelp between their bodies.
Oops, incorrect!
It's a factThis pigmentation, called the “saddle patch,” varies from one animal to another and is used to tell them apart in the same way fingerprints are used to identify humans.
Researchers observed at least 30 instances of a behavior they dubbed “allokelping,” in which orcas detach bull kelp from the seafloor and manipulate it with their teeth before rubbing it between themselves, which scientists expect is a form of grooming, social bonding, or both. Cetaceans (a group of mammals that includes dolphins, whales, and porpoises) keep their bodies smooth and aerodynamic by frequently shedding dead skin, and allokelping could aid in that process.
The discovery marks the first time any cetacean has been observed using tools, but it isn’t altogether surprising — in addition to being, well, a little unusual, orcas in particular are known for their high intelligence and close social bonds.
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“Orca” derives from a Latin word meaning “______.”
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“Orca” derives from a Latin word meaning “large-bellied pot.”
Killer whales are found in every ocean.
Though best known for residing in the cold waters of locales such as Antarctica, orcas are found in every ocean: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Antarctic (also known as Southern), and Arctic. This makes them the most widespread cetacean.
Of the approximately 50,000 killer whales in the wild, roughly half of them live in the waters near Antarctica. Other large population centers include such far-flung locations as Alaska, Argentina, Norway, and New Zealand.
Michael Nordine is a writer and editor living in Denver. A native Angeleno, he has two cats and wishes he had more.
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