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In the spring of 2021 a video of a thousand dolphins swimming together was filmed off the coast of California. A group of whale watchers were entertained for hours as this group of dolphins frolicked in the ocean waters. A group of this size is larger than usual but not that rare. Dolphins generally live in pods of 5-20 dolphins, but these smaller pods often join other pods to form larger pods for feeding or mating. Dolphins are a species whose pod life has been extensively studied, but what other whales live in the pods? Are whales social creatures or do some prefer to live alone? Do whales form pods with other whales outside their species? Why do some whales live in pods? Let’s take a look at the life of the pod!
What is a group of whales called?
A group of whales is known as a ‘pod’. Other terms used for groups of whales include “gam” and “school,” but pod is by far the most common name.
The term “pod” refers to a group of animals that live together. In general, smaller animals are more likely than larger animals to form pods. The whale group Cetacea is divided into two suborders, Baleen whales (Mysticeti) and toothed whales (Odontceti). Baleen whales are the largest whales, largest mammals on earth actually, and toothed whales are considerably smaller and include dolphins, porpoises and belugas. So it makes sense that most baleen whales are solitary animals that only come together to mate and most toothed whales live in pods ranging in size from 2-50 with pods that come together to sometimes form larger pods. There are exceptions to these guidelines, with some baleen whales being consistently seen in groups of three, such as the sei whales and some such as the humpback whales that form pods during migration. There are some species of toothed whales, such as the Amazon River Dolphin that is a solitary animal and only comes together to mate.
Why do dolphins live in pods?
Dolphins are a great example of what life in the pod is like, they are also one of the most researched marine animals providing data for years. The common tumbler is one of the dolphins that has been studied and these dolphins can often be found in groups of 2-50, which also form larger pods. These smaller pods are sometimes called nursery groups because they consist of a group of female dolphins and their calves. The mothers teach their young to hunt, forage, avoid predators and feed their young. The baby dolphins stay close to their mother for 3-6 years.
Dolphins from smaller groups will congregate with other groups to hunt and protect. A typical hunt might look like a group of 400 dolphins scattered in the same area, looking for food and also looking for predators. They feed on prey that often gather in schools, such as calamari, anchovies, and sardines. When they find a school of potential prey, the dolphins will swim closer together and surround the prey and start an attack. If a group of dolphins encounters a group of killer whales (their predators), they will immediately form a tight group and try to flee together, with the younger dolphins learning to stay with the group.
Another reason dolphins can form pods is because they are very social animals. They use a combination of clicking and whistling to communicate with each other and they can learn from each other. A group of dolphins use sponges on their beaks as protection when they dig for food in the sand. Young dolphins learn how to do this by watching their mothers. Dolphins in zoos and aquariums have been able to be trained to do a variety of skills and tricks and appear to be very sociable with their trainers. With their beaks that always seem to be smiling, it’s no wonder we’re fascinated by these aquatic wonders.
Do Humpback Whales Form Pods to Migrate?
Humpback whales migrate to warmer waters during winter. Whales from the Northern Hemisphere will make their way to the warm waters off Hawaii and whales from the Southern Hemisphere will migrate to eastern Australia. One research study tracked the migration of the humpback whale over a period of two years, after both the northward and southward movement. These whales gathered off the east coast of Australia. The result of the study was that they found the majority of whales in pairs, male-female, for the long migration. Of all the whales the study found, “231 loners, 257 pairs, 63 trios, 7 quads and 4 pods with more than 5 individuals were observed during two land surveys conducted during the northward migration in 1991 and 1993.” So there was some variety, with a large group of whales making a solo trek and a group preferring to travel in threes. Whales that are pods of three are often identified as a female, her calf, and an escort or mate. The large number of whales mating the migration is believed to be related to mating, like a honeymoon in Hawaii!
What is a match pod?
Whale enthusiasts can travel to Maui between December and April or to Eastern Australia between May and November to see a spectacular display of whale mating season. A group of male humpback whales will form a completion capsule of 3-25 whales eager to chase a female whale. They jockey to get close to the female to either catch up with her male escort or gain the right to mate with her. The female and her handler remain in the middle of the group and the handler tries to defend herself to stay with the female. One can see whales slapping their tails into the water (fins), slapping each other with their tails, bumping heads and running fast in search of a female. During the match, whales may lose interest and leave or other whales
may be enticed by the action and join in. The promotion can last for a few hours until a “winner” is determined.
Do orcas hunt in pods like a pack of wolves?
orcas appear to have a sophisticated social structure with pods forming based on the type of diet they prefer. In the Pacific Northwest, killer whales (or killer whales) form pods of 2-50 whales and hunt together like a pack of wolves. Researchers have found that killer whales are mostly resident, meaning they live and hunt in the same area, or travel around temporarily to find food based on availability. The group of residential whales are fish eaters and they prey on fish like salmon. The other group is chasing navy mammals such as sea lions, walruses and seals. A producer on the TV show Frozen Planet On BBC Earth showed video of a group of killer whales teaming up to knock a seal off its floating ice float. Four or five whales swam together under the ice to create a wave that slammed the seal into the water! Diner is ready!
Orcas are very intelligent and have different techniques for catching their prey. They have even learned to attack sharks. Part of the group will force the shark to the surface and another will use their tail to hit the shark and then turn them over, making them more vulnerable. They can then use their sharp teeth to rip into the shark for dinner.
Did a group of belugas adopt a narwhal?
A story of the Smithsonian Magazine reports that a lone narwhal was observed swimming with a group of belugas. Researchers studied the beluga group by using drones as surveillance. The scientists have video of a narwhal swimming with a pod of 11-12 belugas. It is believed that they are all young males. The markings on the narwhal indicate that it is the same one previously observed in this group over a three-year period. Another interesting twist is that the narwhals usually live nowhere near these belugas, with its home waters 600 miles north of the St. Lawrence River where these belugas are. Belugas and narwhals belong to the same family (Monodontidae), but usually do not interbreed because the narwhals live in the Arctic waters. Belugas are very social animals and seem to stick together. Studies have tracked the same beluga pods of related whales that spend summers together in the same location year after year. Sometimes more than a thousand belugas gather in the same waters off the coast.
Do narwhals live in pods?
Narwhals are a bit trickier to study because they live in the frigid Arctic waters and rarely come close to shore. These whales look like dark-colored belugas, with the most pronounced feature being a unicorn-like horn (it’s actually a tooth) extending out of their facial area (only the males). Their bodies can grow 12 to 20 feet long and their horn-like tooth can grow up to 3 feet long! They are a social animal living in pods of 2-20 whales and they often join groups of large groups up to a few hundred. The pods vary and can be a group of males, a group of females or a mixed group. Narwhals migrate and spend time in the same wintering and summer waters. They migrate together in large groups and can jump out of the water together and dive at the same time as a sort of extended synchronized swim team!
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