Latest news with #Meynecke
Miami Herald
6 days ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Whales and dolphins have an ‘intriguing' relationship, study finds. What to know
The relationship between whales and dolphins has long been shrouded in mystery. But, new research reveals that — despite their vast difference in size — these marine mammals often enjoy playful interactions, much like a Great Dane romping with a Chihuahua. Scientists at Griffith University in Australia came to this conclusion by analyzing dozens of interspecies encounters from around the world, according to a study published on Aug. 12 in the peer-reviewed journal Discover Animals. 'It is clear such interactions happen much more often than we previously thought,' Olaf Meynecke, one of the study authors, told McClatchy News. 'These interactions cannot be underestimated and may well play a part in the well-being of whales and dolphins.' The study reviewed 199 separate exchanges between 19 different species of dolphins and baleen whales captured in videos and photos. These interchanges took place off the coast of 17 countries, including the U.S., the U.K. and Australia. They were then categorized by behavior, including jumps, belly rolls, tail slaps, bow riding and even petting. Humpback whales were involved in the majority of the encounters, participating in 68% of them, while bottlenose dolphins took part in 51%. In both types of marine mammals, adults accounted for most of the activity. 'There were a number of surprising interactions,' Meynecke said. The most frequent interactions involved dolphins positioning themselves near whales' heads — a behavior similar to bow riding — which could be understood as an efficient and playful mode of movement for dolphins. Each whale species also tended to interact with dolphins in their own unique way. For example, humpbacks gestured with their pectoral fins toward dolphins on 172 occasions. They also showed off their undersides 141 times. Meanwhile, grey whales rolled in the presence of dolphins 56 times, and southern right whales slapped their pectoral fins on five occasions. Researchers also obtained two videos recorded from cameras situated on the animals, which revealed some noteworthy encounters. In both instances, dolphins could be seen accompanying whales to the bottom of the ocean, paying close attention to each other and maintaining eye contact. Meynecke said it 'certainly was very interesting to see that dolphins continue their behaviour below the surface, following the whales all the way to the bottom in close proximity with the head turned towards the whales head.' In total, 25% of the interactions were described as positive and mutual exchanges. 'There have been enough events documented that showed positive interaction on both sides, that we can say there is a something both species get out of this,' Meynecke said. Play behavior could allow for sensory stimulation, help the animals develop relationships and contribute to their well-being. Creativity — a characteristic of intelligent species — could also be driving this behavior. Still, though, not all of the interactions were positive. 'Whales (clearly) show avoidance behaviour such as tail slaps or moving away from the dolphins if they don't want the interaction,' Meynecke said. Further study is required to better understand the complex interspecies dynamics between whales and dolphins, researchers concluded. 'Having the opportunity to document these observations and observe some of the behavioural patterns like bow riding by dolphins and close touches was intriguing,' Olivia Crawley, the other study author, said in a university news release. 'I hope that this study can serve as a foundation for future studies.'
The Star
6 days ago
- Science
- The Star
Australian study shows whales, dolphins often play together
Bow-riding bottlenose dolphin with humpback whales off the Australian coast. - Roving media SYDNEY: Australian researchers have found that playtime between baleen whales and dolphins is often a mutual activity, with many encounters involving "cooperative and reciprocal" social play. Researchers analysed 199 documented encounters involving 19 species, captured on videos or in photographs by the public, tourism operators and scientists across 17 locations worldwide, according to a statement released Tuesday (Aug 12) by Australia's Griffith University. The university's Whales & Climate Programme lead, Olaf Meynecke, said a quarter of these interactions can be defined as a mutual interaction, with humpback whales (classified as baleen whales) responding positively toward dolphins in about one-third of cases. "The humpback whales were rolling from side to side, undertaking belly presentation and other behaviours that are associated with courtship or friendly socialising," said Meynecke, the lead author of the study published in online journal Discover Animals. The researchers observed that whales typically approached dolphins slowly with their heads and rostrums, with most interactions showing no avoidance. They were especially interested in recording whale reactions as dolphins are often being described as harassing whales. The study found that the most common interaction was dolphins swimming near a whale's rostrum, much like bow riding, a behaviour that may help dolphins travel more efficiently and, at times, serve as a form of one-sided play. Footage from underwater camera tags on humpback whales even showed bottlenose dolphins following humpbacks not only on the surface but also to the ocean floor for apparent social play. The findings highlight marine mammals' complex social structures, and interspecies interactions in ocean ecosystems. - Xinhua
National Geographic
11-08-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
What do dolphins and whales think of each other? Scientists have new evidence.
As the humpback whales soar along at the surface just off the coast of Australia, tiny splashes ahead indicate that they're not alone. A pod of bottlenose dolphins darts along at the front of the group. This scene captured by a 'crittercam' attached to one of the whales is just one example of baleen whales and dolphins interacting with each other in the wild—and it might be much more common than scientists realized. After analyzing videos and photos of 199 instances of whale-dolphin interactions between 19 species around the world, researchers found that a quarter of all the whale-dolphin encounters could be 'a possible positive interaction,' according to a study published today in the journal Discover Animals. It's unclear exactly how aware the animals are of each other or whether these are signs of playfulness—or just vibes. The team scoured social media for imagery of contact between the two cetaceans in oceans around the world, plus two videos captured by the crittercams. In 80 percent of the encounters, the dolphins swam close to the whales' heads, suggesting a mutual awareness or even that the dolphins might be trying to attract the whales' attention, says Olaf Meynecke, a co-author on the study who leads the whales and climate program at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. In a handful of examples, the dolphins appeared to rub or touch the whale on purpose. The animals' close proximity 'would indicate that they are seeking either direct contact, or at least visual contact,' he says. In several instances, the dolphins went bow riding—saving energy by surfing the wave created in front of the swimming whale—near the whale's head, or rostrum, in the same way they often do with boats. 'Were dolphins close to the rostrum because they were enjoying a fast ride, or was it actually to seek contact with the whales?' Meynecke wonders. Dolphins are often observed frolicking around whales but such behavior has 'historically been looked at as the dolphins playing with this big thing in the ocean,' says Thea Taylor, managing director of the Sussex Dolphin Project in England who wasn't involved in the study, 'but there hasn't been much record of the whales interacting and playing back.' Researches analyzed nearly 200 videos and photos of of whale-dolphin interactions between 19 species around the world. Photograph By Jaimen Hudson When Meynecke and his colleagues analyzed the footage closely, they realized that some whales seemed to respond. Do whales seek out dolphins? Based on the documented behaviors, some whale species seem to reciprocate the dolphins' friendly approaches more than others. Humpback whales in particular—believed to have an affinity for other species because they sometimes intervene when orcas attack whales, seals, and even sunfish—were more amenable to the association. Out of all documented hangouts with humpbacks, 'at least one third of the interactions we classified as positive, with the humpback whales actually seeking out swimming towards the dolphins,' says Meynecke. Humpbacks rolled from side to side and showed their bellies, which is often associated with socializing or courtship, as well as extending their pectoral fins towards the dolphins. Meanwhile, Gray whales rolled, which is seen during courtship as well as when these curious animals try to get a better look at a tourist boat. Southern right whales slapped the water with their pectoral fins—also associated with communication and social interaction. 'It's really interesting to see that back-and-forth play, rather than it just being one directional,' says Taylor. (Read more about the hidden world of whale culture.) In two baffling instances, humpback whales lifted a bottlenose dolphin up on its rostrum. Taylor didn't know what to make of this but didn't see it as an aggressive action. 'They're normally more vigorous movements like tail slaps or head slaps.' Some baleen whale species appear to be more prone to interactions with dolphins than others. Photograph By Wildlive Media Contact between cetaceans isn't always positive. In England, researchers have recorded dolphins killing porpoises before abandoning the carcass—scientists don't know why but, as they're not eating the meat, it might just be fun. 'That's a slightly darker side of what could be play,' she says. Some species documented by the study were less impressed by the dolphins than affable humpbacks—fin, blue and northern right whales showed little to no reaction. (Whales could one day be heard in court—and in their own words.) The importance of play As well as being fun, play is important for cognitive and social development. 'Dolphins are heavily reliant on their social networks for foraging, hunting, and breeding,' says Taylor. 'Just like in humans, play is a fantastic way of reinforcing their social bonds.' Understanding whether distinct species seek each other out for play helps experts better understand their distribution, which could better inform conservation efforts and bolster public support for protection measures. It's a strategy that's worked in the past. Before 1970, most people had no idea that whales could sing. When a marine biologist released an album of these haunting melodies and people heard whale song for the first time, it transformed how connected they felt to these huge mammals. 'Understanding that cetaceans play, just like we do, can inspire a similar emotional bond,' says Taylor.
The Age
11-08-2025
- Science
- The Age
Revealed: How playful whales and dolphins socialise with each other
Rolling from side to side, presenting their bellies, and even lifting their dolphin playmate into the air are some of the ways that whales socialise with their smaller cousins, a new study finds. The Australian research looking at images and video from 17 locations around the world challenges previous scientific assumptions that dolphins 'harassed' whales, finding instead that the play was often mutual. Griffith University whales and climate program lead Dr Olaf Meynecke and co-author Olivia Crawley analysed nearly 200 separate and unrelated interactions between 425 baleen whales and 1570 dolphins. Their findings were published in the journal, Discover Animals, on Tuesday. 'When we go out and do our whale surveys or tagging whales, we always joke that we can find the whales by looking for the dolphins,' Meynecke said. 'Whales that show a lot of active behaviours seem to get the most interest from the dolphins.' Meynecke said the dolphins, being faster swimmers, usually initiated the encounters, but the whales responded either positively or neutrally most of the time. Across all whale species, at least a quarter of the interactions were mutual, and for humpback whales it was at least a third. It was rare that the whale would try to avoid the dolphin or become aggressive. Most of the documented interactions were between adult animals, but a whale calf was present in 44 events and a dolphin calf in 53 events. Both whale and dolphin calves were present on 21 occasions. There were six different whale species in the dataset – more than two-thirds were humpbacks, followed by grey whales (16 per cent) and fin whales (7 per cent). More than half the dolphins were bottlenose, followed by common dolphins (17 per cent) and Pacific wide-sided dolphins (15 per cent).
Sydney Morning Herald
11-08-2025
- Science
- Sydney Morning Herald
Revealed: How playful whales and dolphins socialise with each other
Rolling from side to side, presenting their bellies, and even lifting their dolphin playmate into the air are some of the ways that whales socialise with their smaller cousins, a new study finds. The Australian research looking at images and video from 17 locations around the world challenges previous scientific assumptions that dolphins 'harassed' whales, finding instead that the play was often mutual. Griffith University whales and climate program lead Dr Olaf Meynecke and co-author Olivia Crawley analysed nearly 200 separate and unrelated interactions between 425 baleen whales and 1570 dolphins. Their findings were published in the journal, Discover Animals, on Tuesday. 'When we go out and do our whale surveys or tagging whales, we always joke that we can find the whales by looking for the dolphins,' Meynecke said. 'Whales that show a lot of active behaviours seem to get the most interest from the dolphins.' Meynecke said the dolphins, being faster swimmers, usually initiated the encounters, but the whales responded either positively or neutrally most of the time. Across all whale species, at least a quarter of the interactions were mutual, and for humpback whales it was at least a third. It was rare that the whale would try to avoid the dolphin or become aggressive. Most of the documented interactions were between adult animals, but a whale calf was present in 44 events and a dolphin calf in 53 events. Both whale and dolphin calves were present on 21 occasions. There were six different whale species in the dataset – more than two-thirds were humpbacks, followed by grey whales (16 per cent) and fin whales (7 per cent). More than half the dolphins were bottlenose, followed by common dolphins (17 per cent) and Pacific wide-sided dolphins (15 per cent).
