Study Reveals Mutual Play Between Whales, Dolphins
(MENAFN) Australian scientists have uncovered compelling evidence that play between baleen whales and dolphins is frequently a two-way, cooperative behavior. Their research, spanning 199 recorded encounters across 19 species and 17 global locations, highlights the prevalence of “cooperative and reciprocal” social interactions in these marine giants.
Olaf Meynecke, head of Griffith University’s Whales & Climate Program, highlighted in a statement on Tuesday that a quarter of these encounters qualify as mutual interactions, with humpback whales (a type of baleen whale) showing positive responses to dolphins in roughly one-third of the instances.
The study analyzed footage collected from public observers, tourism operators, and scientists, revealing that humpback whales often engage in behaviors linked to friendly socializing or courtship. Meynecke described the whales’ actions: “The humpback whales were rolling from side to side, undertaking belly presentation and other behaviors that are associated with courtship or friendly socializing.”
Contrary to reports of dolphins harassing whales, researchers noted whales generally approached dolphins slowly with their heads and rostrums, with little evidence of avoidance. The most frequently observed behavior involved dolphins swimming near a whale’s rostrum, a movement akin to bow riding, which may aid dolphins in more efficient travel and sometimes represents one-sided play.
Remarkably, underwater camera tags on humpback whales captured bottlenose dolphins following whales not just at the surface but also descending to the ocean floor, indicating a level of social play previously undocumented.
This groundbreaking study, published in the online journal Discover Animals, sheds new light on the complex social dynamics and interspecies relationships that shape marine ecosystems.
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