All articles tagged with #hunting strategies
Scientists suggest that humans evolved to run long distances as an effective hunting strategy, balancing heat regulation and energy expenditure through a pacing approach that maximizes hourly caloric gains, supported by physiological traits and historical hunting accounts.
Orcas, also known as killer whales, exhibit a range of intelligent behaviors that contribute to their success as a species. They engage in fads, such as wearing salmon as hats, and participate in "greeting ceremonies" as a form of social interaction. Orcas have distinct dialects within their pods and employ specialized hunting strategies, such as beaching themselves to catch seals or creating waves to push seals off ice. They are picky eaters, targeting specific organs of sharks for their nutritional value. Orcas form social bonds and exhibit signs of grief, as seen in a female orca pushing her dead calf for weeks. They can be trained in captivity, although this practice is controversial. Orcas care for one another, with mothers and grandmothers providing support and guidance. Their large brains enable them to analyze underwater environments using echolocation. Additionally, there is historical evidence of orcas hunting whales alongside humans.
Recent observations of orcas engaging in new and terrifying behaviors, such as attacking blue whales, abducting baby pilot whales, tearing open sharks to feast on their livers, and even ramming and sinking boats, have raised questions about whether orcas are getting smarter. While their brains are not likely changing on an anatomical level, orcas are fast learners and can teach each other new tricks, becoming "smarter" as a group. Some of these behaviors may be age-old but only now being documented, while others may be influenced by frequent interactions with humans and changing environments. Human activities, such as fishing and climate change, may indirectly drive orcas to adapt and rely on social learning to survive.