Humpback whales are known for their intelligence and complex social behavior. Researchers have observed them teaming up to hunt small fish together, creating a “smoke” ring around the school by blowing bubbles. This unique hunting strategy has sparked interest in how they communicate with each other.
A new study published in Marine Mammal Science investigated humpback whales’ interactions with humans and their use of bubble blowing. The researchers from SETI Institute and University of California found that humpbacks produce large bubble rings during friendly encounters with humans, seemingly trying to send messages. These attempts at communication are likened to “candidate signals,” similar to radio waves detected in space.
The study analyzed 12 episodes of bubble ring production involving 39 rings made by 11 individual whales. The researchers located a dozen whales from various populations that have voluntarily approached boats and swimmers, blowing bubbles during these interactions.
According to co-lead author Dr. Fred Sharpe, the findings suggest that humpback whales may be trying to communicate with humans in a playful manner, observing our response, or engaging in some form of interaction. The researchers aim to use this research to develop filters for parsing cosmic signals and potentially interpret non-verbal communications from other animals and extraterrestrial life forms in the future.
Source: https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/marine-animals/scientists-stunned-to-see-humpback-whales-trying-to-send-messages-to-humans