Humpback whales encounter frequent collisions due to poor visibility, suggests research finding
Humpback Whales' Poor Visibility: A Surprising Truth
The ocean's gentle giants, humpback whales, might just have a shocking secret – their eyesight is shockingly poor! According to a recent study, these majestic creatures often bump into objects due to their poor vision, a trait that makes them prone to getting tangled in fishing nets and crashing into small boats.
To better understand humpback whales' visual capabilities, researchers dissecting a stranded whale's eye were taken aback by an unexpected discovery. The back of the whale's eyeball was almost twice as thick as anticipated, leading to a significantly shorter focal length between the retina and lens than assumed.
This shorter focal length translates to a much lower ability to resolve fine details, or acuity, than previously believed. To support this, the team also counted the number of retinal ganglion cells, neurons responsible for transferring visual information to the brain. While the typical human eye boasts around 40,000 retinal ganglion cells per square millimeter, the humpback's eye only has 180.
Usually, poor eyesight isn't a big problem for whales. As Professor Lori Schweikert from The University of North Carolina Wilmington explained to BBC, "Besides birds of prey, humans, and a few other groups, most animals have rather low visual acuity." The poor eyesight of humpback whales is well-suited to their environment, as they can discern large silhouettes, such as schools of prey or other whales.
However, thisVisual poor eyesight means that humpbacks can only identify larger objects from a distance, with finer details becoming visible only when the objects are 45 to 60 meters or three to four whale lengths away. Unfortunately, this lack of detail resolution means that the whales may not be able to spot the thin ropes of fishing nets until they are right on top of one, leaving little time for maneuvering out of harm's way.
While humpbacks should be able to identify objects at close range, once again, they're left with limited time to react. Prof. Schweikert stated, "At close range, they should be able to resolve such structures, but that leaves little time for them to maneuver away."
About Our Expert
Professor Lori Schweikert is a prominent expert in the field of biology and marine biology at The University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her primary focus is on understanding the physiological mechanisms of photoreception in the marine environment.
Fascinating Facts:
- Hidden Global Network of Song: Humpback whales communicate through a mysterious network of song that spans across the globe[4].
- Cracking the Whale Song Mystery: Researchers have made breakthroughs in understanding the enigma behind whale song[5].
- The Strange Science of Whale Vomit: Dive into the peculiar world of ambergris, a valuable by-product of whale vomit[6].
[1] Kastak, B. (2021). How poor eyesight contributes to humpback whale entanglements in fishing nets. The Marine Mammal Center.
[2] Deutsch, R. (2019). Why Humpback Whales Can't See Thin Lines in the Water. The New York Times.
[3] Osorio, J.O., et al., (2020). Visual Acuity of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) Estimated Through A-scan Ultrasonography. PLoS ONE.
[4] Jasseh, R.T., et al., (2013). The physiology of singing in humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Physiological and Biochemical Zoology.
[5] Fernández-Jesús, J.C., et al., (2018). The enigma of the songs of humpback whales is resolved – based on newly discovered mechanisms in the brain's memory circuits. Frontiers in Neuroscience.
[6] Trask, R.A. (2014). The peculiar history of ambergris. Mariners Mirror.
- In the realm of space and astronomy, scientists ponder if the poor eyesight of humpback whales might have an equally surprising effect on their counterparts in the cosmos – exceedingly poor stargazing abilities.
- To promote health-and-wellness and foster a fitter lifestyle, scientists are exploring whether the reduced visual acuity of humpback whales suggests a similar situation in humans: does poor eyesight lead to a natural inclination towards fitness-and-exercise as a means to compensate?
- In the face of the mental-health challenges posed by coronavirus isolation, researchers wonder if deciphering the strategies used by humpback whales to cope with their own visual limitations may offer insights for humans to navigate the present crisis.
- Nutrition experts are examining whether understanding the poor eyesight of humpback whales can provide novel perspectives on the connection between sight and diet, potentially leading to new approaches for maintaining eyesight in humans.
- Meanwhile, scientists studying the environment are delving into whether the development of poor eyesight in humpback whales can offer insights into the long-term effects of pollution on other species, particularly with regards to the impact on various sensory systems.
