Sardinella sp. Prey for Balaeanoptera edeni in Gulf of Thailand

This small fish, likely a species of sardine, jumped aboard our boat when Eden’s whales were engaged in lunge feeding in the Gulf of Thailand. I believe it likely that the lunge feeding technique is suited to hunting this type of fish, perhaps due to density of aggregations and/ or behavioral characteristics. The whales appear to herd fish into ever greater concentrations before lunging through the aggregated fish. The same whales do not seem to do this with the anchovy species in the Gulf. This suggests that the whales apply different strategies for different prey.

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Filename: sardinella-prey-for-balaenoptera-edeni-gulf-of-thailand-201810-0198.tif
Copyright: Copyright Tony Wu. All rights reserved. No duplication, reproduction or usage without prior written permission.
Image Size: 8256x5504 / 130.0MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license#rm; https://www.tony-wu.com/contact-tony-wu; Bony Fish Animalia Chordata Actinopterygii Clupeiformes Clupeidae Sardinella Whale Bryde's Whale Eden's Whale Mammalia Cetacea Mysticeti Balaenopteridae Balaenoptera edeni edeni CITES Appendix 1 Data Deficient: IUCN Red List Filter Feeder Marine Mammal Mysticete Rorqual Feeding Foraging Hunting Pacific Gulf of Thailand
Contained in galleries: Eden Whales, Fish Photos

This small fish, likely a species of sardine, jumped aboard our boat when Eden’s whales were engaged in lunge feeding in the Gulf of Thailand. I believe it likely that the lunge feeding technique is suited to hunting this type of fish, perhaps due to density of aggregations and/ or behavioral characteristics. The whales appear to herd fish into ever greater concentrations before lunging through the aggregated fish. The same whales do not seem to do this with the anchovy species in the Gulf. This suggests that the whales apply different strategies for different prey.