PETERSBURG-AK KFSK - A team of researchers captured some very unusual footage of humpback whales this summer. It shows cooperative bubble-net feeding and other behavior from a whale calf’s point of view. The Alaska Whale Foundation’s Doctor Fred Sharpe has been studying humpback whale behavior and vocalizations in southeast Alaska for decades. Based out of Five-Finger Lighthouse in northern Frederick Sound this summer, Sharpe and his colleagues captured the rare video using a national geographic “critter-cam” which they suction-cupped to the back of a whale calf.
The underwater scenes are exceptionally clear of a mother-whale nursing her calf and a large group of whales creating a bubble-net to catch herring. What’s more, the video was obtained without a boat or divers in sight.
Along with the National Geographic Society, Sharpe credits the Petersburg Marine Mammal Center and the Juneau Lighthouse Association for their support in the research. Sharpe stopped by to talk with KFSK’s Matt Lichtenstein about some of these humpback sights and sounds he’s gathered: more...
© Copyright 2008, Narrows Broadcasting Corp.
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