Humpback whales (megaptera novaeangliae) off the coast of Juneau, Alaska, exhibit one of nature’s most extraordinary hunting strategies — bubble-net feeding. In this rare and complex behavior, a group of whales dives deep and exhales spirals of bubbles to corral schooling fish into a tight ball. A matriarch often leads the hunt, using precise vocal cues to coordinate the team. Once the net is set, the whales surge upward through the bait ball with mouths wide open.