# Surprising behavior in one of the least studied mammals in the world
Some animals live in remote and inaccessible regions of the globe, making it nearly impossible to study them in their natural habitats. Beaked whales, with 24 known species, are among these creatures. They reside far from land and in deep oceanic waters, where they forage for food at depths of 500 meters and more.
The Cuvier’s beaked whale holds the record for the deepest dive by a mammal, reaching at least 2992 meters in 2014. Additionally, a beaked whale is the mammalian record holder for the longest dive, lasting 222 minutes.
A scientific study led by whale biologists Olga Filatova and Ivan Fedutin from the University of Southern Denmark/Fjord&Bælt has provided new and surprising insights into the world of Baird’s beaked whales. The study has revealed that this population of Baird’s beaked whales has been found closer to the coast and in shallower waters than previously observed.
Filatova and Fedutin, with years of whale studies in the northern Pacific behind them, first observed a group of Baird’s beaked whales near the coast during an expedition to the Commander Islands in 2008. They noticed the whales every year thereafter until 2020 when they were unable to return due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The observed population of Baird’s beaked whales ventured close to the coast, within four km of land, and was seen in shallow water, less than 300 meters deep. This behavior is atypical for this species, indicating that the population may have adapted to this specific habitat, deviating from the prevailing notion that all beaked whales occupy far-off deep sea waters.
According to Olga Filatova, this discovery challenges the assumption that all individuals within a specific species behave uniformly. This presents a challenge for species protection planning, as it suggests that beaked whales may also inhabit shallow and coastal waters, and there may be other habitats that are currently unknown.
In the whale world, it is common to find groups of the same species living in different places, consuming different prey, and communicating differently. Social learning plays a crucial role in shaping these behaviors. For example, the observed local enhancement among the Baird’s beaked whales at the Commander Islands suggests the development of a cultural tradition within this population, which is a first for beaked whales.
The researchers observed a total of 186 Baird’s beaked whales at the Commander Islands from 2008 to 2019. Among these, 107 were transient whales, spotted only once, and 79 were residents, observed for multiple years. The interactions observed between the transient and resident whales, including some transients being seen in shallow water, further indicate the influence of social learning on their behaviors.
This study sheds light on the flexibility and complexity of animal behaviors and the importance of considering cultural traditions and social learning in species conservation efforts.
