Because of their elusive nature and preference for the ocean depth , beak whales persist one of the least understood coinage of cetacean mammal to science . The enigmatic marine mammalian are equal to of diving to depth of 3,000 meters ( 10,000 human foot ) – a doings that has long stick researchers . Now , a newfangled theory indicate that their deep - diving tendencies may be to invalidate one of the sea ’s most ferocious predators : the slayer whale .
" pick whales are uttermost divers that nonplus records of dive deepness and duration . For dive mammalian , their physical structure is their oxygen tank car . This is why it is so noteworthy that medium - sized beak whales can outcompete much larger sperm whales in diving survival , " study author Natacha Aguilar de Soto of theUniversidad de La Lagunatold IFLScience . But diving to such depths take up a toll on the whales ' metabolic process , strength , and endurance , making it difficult to guard off potential attacks from predators like Orcinus orca whale .
A team of external researchers analyse data obtained by tracker attach to dozens of sized Blainville ’s ( Mesoplodon densirostris ) and Cuvier ’s ( Ziphius cavirostris ) beaked whales , recording information on how cryptical person dove , the precipitousness of their dives , and the sounds that the animals made throughout their journey . This information was equate with existing literature to determine what sets these two species aside from other inscrutable - diving toothed hulk .
analysis unveil that the heavyweight stay largely tacit when in shallower water supply where likely piranha may lurk , but began echolocating for target in closely coordinated group once reaching depths of around 450 meter ( 1,475 metrical unit ) . At this point , the animals would burst off to hunt individually and reconvene again at about 750 meter ( 2,460 foot ) before taciturnly rise to the open at a shallow angle .
" Other deep - diving whales , such as pilot and sperm whales , live in large social group and are potent muscular animals , " explained Aguilar . " Beaked whale , in contrast , have developed cunning behavioural tactics which allow them to hunt at deepness using their biological echosounder : echolocation , and still cut the fateful encounters with groups of killer whales stalk them acoustically from the surface . "
grampus whales are fantabulous listeners and silent Orion that give minuscule advance observance of their front , power , and pep pill , leaving no elbow room for last - minute escapes . The researchers consider that this unique diving behaviour may have been an evolutionary adaptation to avoid the disgraceful - and - white hunters dating back millions of twelvemonth .
“ Fear of predation can stimulate profound changes in the conduct and physiology of prey species even if marauder skirmish are infrequent . For echolocating serrated whales , the use of strait to scrounge exposes them to detection by eavesdropping marauder , ” compose the authors inNature , adding that deep - diving beaked whale seem “ mysteriously defenseless against their main vulture , killer whales . ”
The findings may also excuse how some giant react to naval sonar , which has been associate to mass stranding upshot . BothM. densirostrisandZ. cavirostrisare among the most usually determine in strandings related to naval sonar .
“ These predator suspension deportment have likely serve beak whale over 1000000 of years , but may become maladaptive by playing a role in mass strandings induced by man - made marauder - like sonar sounds , ” conclude the authors .
Aguilar tells IFLScience that her team hopes to next realise the evolutionary setting of beaked whales ' sensitivity to killer whale call , which could explain why beaked whales respond so powerfully to naval sonar . In theory , it could be that the whale are misinterpreting sonar as a predator .
