In:
Canadian Journal of Zoology, Canadian Science Publishing, Vol. 99, No. 6 ( 2021-06), p. 511-520
Abstract:
Cooperative hunting involves individual predators relating in time and space to each other’s actions to more efficiently track down and catch prey. The evolution of advanced cognitive abilities and sociality in animals are strongly associated with cooperative hunting abilities as has been shown in lions, chimpanzees, and dolphins. Much less is known about cooperative hunting in seemingly unsocial animals, such as the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena (Linnaeus, 1758)). Using drones, we were able to record 159 hunting sequences of porpoises, out of which 95 sequences involved more than one porpoise. To better understand if the harbour porpoises were individually attracted by the fish school or formed an organized hunting strategy, the behaviour of each individual porpoise in relation to the targeted fish school was analysed. The results indicate role specialization, which is considered the most sophisticated form of collaborative hunting and only rarely seen in animals. Our study challenges previous knowledge about harbour porpoises and opens up for the possibility of other seemingly non-social species employing sophisticated collaborative hunting methods.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0008-4301
,
1480-3283
DOI:
10.1139/cjz-2020-0289
Language:
English
Publisher:
Canadian Science Publishing
Publication Date:
2021
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1490831-1
SSG:
12
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