Grabbing a meal with a friend is way better than dining solo — and killer whales agree. The whales prefer to hunt for herring in pairs, researchers report July 3 in Current Biology. These cetaceans divide hunting tasks in a coordinated and cooperative manner, often with a long-term partner. This highly social feeding behavior highlights killer whales’ ability to maximize their hunting success through specialized skills.
Every winter, a huge number of herring (Clupea harengus) migrate to Norwegian waters to spawn, attracting pods of killer whales (Orcinus orca) eager for a feast. To catch these small and agile prey, the whales slap the herring with their tails to stun