A similar Super Pod was recorded at the same location last year as well. (Image credit: Shutterstock/Rep)
The whales were feeding on baitfish and working collaboratively to swarm the bait into a tight knit ball.
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In a fascinating incident, a super pod of more than 80 whales was recorded during a feeding frenzy off the Sapphire Coast of New South Wales, Australia. The whale mass gathering was the second such recorded event in Australian waters and the breathtaking visuals of the event were captured on camera by scientists and wildlife tour operators Sapphire Coastal Adventure. According to ABC News, a similar Super Pod was recorded at the same location last year.
The latest development has sparked keen interest from researchers who see it as an opportunity to learn more about the marine environment and find out the exact reason behind this phenomenon. Speaking about it, whale expert Dr Vanessa Pirota said, although it is still not clear why the mammals returned to the same location for the second year in a row. The footage of the event is of great scientific importance for marine research. He said it was an opportunity to find out if something environmentally important was happening.
Simon Miller, an executive at the tour company that recorded the clip, said the whales were feeding on baitfish and worked collaboratively to swarm the bait into a tight-knit ball. He expressed happiness over getting a chance to see the scene. A large part of the frenzy around the super pod in the scientific community was due to sightings of whales feeding on bubble nets.
Talking about this bubble net feeding process, Dr Piertota describes how the animals blow bubbles around their prey to capture them. She said that all the fish they are feeding on are scrambling tightly to raise the ball and then the whales come from under the water and swallow them by opening their throats like a slinky for the young generation .
Dr Pirotta said the visuals could help researchers determine whether the Sapphire Coast is emerging as a critical area and whether it was a place for whales to break down food before heading back to Antarctica.
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