Humpback huddles

Super-groups of humpback whales have been observed with increasing frequency during the past five years off South Africa’s Atlantic coast.

The species hadn’t normally been considered all that social, usually being found in pairs or small groups that congregated only briefly. But research missions in 2011, 2014 and 2015 found humpbacks feeding and frolicking in groups of up to 200.

The whale had been hunted nearly into extinction, but its populations have seen an unexplained resurgence.

Scientists believe the supergroup gatherings could possibly be the return of a previously unobserved feeding strategy thanks to the newly abundant population.