Orcas are already known as some of the ocean's most intelligent and adaptable predators, but scientists have now documented a hunting behavior unlike anything previously recorded. Researchers observed killer whales deliberately ramming giant sunfish with such force that the fish shattered into countless pieces, creating what they described as a spectacular underwater … [Read more...] about Scientists Discover Orcas Deliberately Smashing Giant Sunfish Until They Explode
animal intelligence
The Giant Tortoises That Have Been Feuding for More Than a Century Over One Stolen Meal
Some rivalries last for a season. Others span a lifetime. But at Vienna's famous Schönbrunn Zoo, two giant tortoises have reportedly been locked in an extraordinary feud that has lasted for well over 120 years, making it one of the longest-running animal rivalries ever recorded. According to a story that has circulated widely among zoo visitors and online, the dispute began … [Read more...] about The Giant Tortoises That Have Been Feuding for More Than a Century Over One Stolen Meal
Female Octopuses Throw Things at Male Harassers
Female Octopus have been observed throwing objects at males in what scientists describe as a targeted response to unwanted attention. Researchers studying octopuses off the coast of Jervis Bay recorded multiple instances of individuals gathering materials such as shells and silt before propelling them through the water using a jet from their siphon. The behaviour, … [Read more...] about Female Octopuses Throw Things at Male Harassers
Killer Whales and Dolphins Documented Hunting Together for the First Time
In a discovery that is reshaping how scientists understand marine cooperation, researchers have recorded killer whales and dolphins hunting together in coordinated teams for the first time. The observations took place off Vancouver Island in British Columbia, where scientists followed nine northern resident killer whales and documented 258 separate encounters in which the … [Read more...] about Killer Whales and Dolphins Documented Hunting Together for the First Time
If Humans Die Out, Octopuses Already Have the Chops to Build the Next Civilization, Scientist Claims
Earth is no stranger to extinctions. As scientists have discerned from fossil records, species on Earth have already passed through five mass extinction events in the planet’s lifetime, including the last mass extinction roughly 65 million years ago that wiped out the dinosaurs. Now, scientists believe we might be in the midst of another. Humans’ impact on biodiversity—via … [Read more...] about If Humans Die Out, Octopuses Already Have the Chops to Build the Next Civilization, Scientist Claims