Kitimat Fjord, British Columbia, Canada – New research from the University of St Andrews shows that humpback whales rely on socially learned bubble-net feeding to survive and recover in the northeastern Pacific. This cooperative hunting method has whales blow clouds of bubbles to trap schools of small fish, allowing the group to feed together.

The study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B on January 21, found that population recovery depends not just on numbers but on the spread of this culturally transmitted behaviour across whale social networks. Immigrant whales have introduced bubble-netting to Canadian populations that previously did not know it or had lost the skill.

Research was conducted in Gitga’at First Nation territory, within the Kitimat Fjord System, an area of ecological and cultural importance. Long-term social network analysis shows that knowledge passes through key individuals and groups, linking social structure directly to survival.

“Bubble-net feeding isn’t just a foraging trick, it’s a form of shared knowledge that strengthens the resilience of the entire population,” said Dr Éadin O’Mahony, lead author. She added, “Species recovery isn’t just a numbers game… Cultural loss can be just as damaging as population loss and potentially just as hard to restore. Protecting areas where distinct learned behaviours are concentrated could deliver conservation benefits that ripple far beyond local waters.”

Co-author Dr Luke Rendell said, “The flow and spread of information in animal societies is a vital part of their ability to thrive.” The study emphasizes the need to integrate animal culture into marine management, especially as human impacts on oceans intensify.

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