Off Argentina’s Patagonian coast, whales and their calves dive deep for meals

PUERTO MADRYN: Within the icy seas off Argentina‘s southern Patagonian coast, an vital breeding floor for whales, scientists are finding out the massive marine mammals to raised perceive how they mate, feed and take care of their younger.
They’ve discovered some shocking info. Southern proper whales within the Valdes Peninsula unexpectedly dive to the ocean flooring to feed, typically together with their younger calves, researchers informed Reuters close to the Patagonian port metropolis of Puerto Madryn.
“We went to look at the floor and sub-surface feeding conduct, and what we noticed was many whales have been diving, and after they returned to the floor that they had mud on their heads,” stated Valeria D’Agostino, a researcher at state science physique CONICET. “That gave us proof the whales have been diving near the underside,” added D’Agostino, lead creator of a examine printed within the journal Scientific Stories in June.
The examine documented that these filter-feeding whales discover bigger specimens of zooplankton close to the seabed than on the floor.
The researchers positioned cameras on the backs of eight whales after making the remark and discovered one thing much more uncommon. The calves additionally dove to the underside, one thing scientists had not recognized they have been able to doing.
“One other attention-grabbing factor that was unknown to us, and that we have been capable of uncover from this examine, is that the calves of whales additionally dive to greater than 100 meters (330 toes) deep after they accompany their moms,” D’Agostino stated.
In response to the newest census from September, there are 1,468 whales in Peninsula Valdes, a breeding and copy space thought-about a UNESCO World Heritage Website. It is likely one of the most vital vacationer websites in Argentina.
For D’Agostino, the examine’s findings are key to making sure that marine areas stay protected, guaranteeing the conservation not solely of mammals like whales but in addition of each a part of the ecosystem to make sure the provision of prey.
“Whales come to Peninsula Valdes to breed and provides beginning to their younger, and in addition with the intention to feed,” D’Agostino stated.