With their bubble-net feeding strategies, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are a new level of ”smart” animal. Out of seven species of baleen whales, humpbacks are likely the only whales that can pull off the high-performance turns required for bubble-net feeding. How bubble-net feeding worksBubble-net feeding is a hunting strategy that individual whales and whales eating in groups both utilize. The baleen plates push out the water, while the whales swallow the animals whole. Humpbacks’ special body shape also allows them to successfully hunt for smaller or scattered groups of prey, without using bubble-net feeding.