Killer whales make tools from kelp to ‘massage’ each other

In the North Pacific, the orkas is seen “massaging” each other – rubbing pieces of kelp between their bodies.

Using the drone, the researchers filmed the animals to choose and bite, then placed a piece of sea algae tube behind another whale.

Scientists feel that massage may have health or hygiene work, but they also believe that they are a form of social relations.

conclusion, Journal Current Published in BiologyThe killer seems to have an example of the use of equipment in the whale – fashion of a tubular piece of seaweed with animals and using it for a specific, planned purpose.

“Let’s call it a Kelp massage,” explained by Professor Darren Croft from Exeter University and The University. Whale Research Center in Washington State,

“They are using a kelp to rub between themselves.”

During the 12 days – between April and July 2024 – to study the population of orkas known as southern inhabitants in coastal water from Washington State, the team recorded 30 matches of Kelp massage.

“We see it several times per day,” Dr. of CWR. Michael Weiss told BBC News. “When we get a drone on these animals, we are going to see at least one pair whale while doing so.”

It can be a sea version known as allograming in primates. Many monkeys and apes spend hours for other members of their groups to lift, clean and remove parasites through groom -fur.

Researchers have dubbed this behavior as “Aloching”.

Physical touch in animals, Pro Croft explained, “it is really important to build and maintain social relations.

“And these killer whales are incredibly social animals,” he said.

Scientists have been using drones for almost a decade to study these sea mammals.

That aerial view has given them new insight into underwater behavior – including How and with whom the animals socialize.

“What is incredible with this discovery – with high quality videos – we can see a lot of this physical contact [between these large whales] This is happening with the help of this relatively small piece of Kelp. ,

There were some indications that there was more likely to be attached to the massage of the “more peeli skin” whales. “It is indicating the idea that they are ‘scratching an itch’ – that it is a task in skin health,” said Pro Croft.

It is not clear that the behavior of this type of grooming is unique to the southern residents or if it is more wider among other whale population – and even other species.

But Dr. Weiss stated that the search – that were whale manufacturing equipment, “and that these items were being used in a way, which had never been reported before in marine mammals, was incredibly exciting”.

In this danger, the study of the population of the killer whale, which lives in coastal water between Vancouver and Seattle, Dr. Was started by Ken Balkomb over 50 years ago.

Initially, he wanted to examine the dangers for his survival, especially when the population was targeted for catching and selling in some maritime parks.

At the same time, the southern resident killer whale has officially achieved the preserved situation, the years of work and observation revealed insight into the killer whale life that could only come to light through decades of study. The study has shown, for example, the killer whale grandmother’s important role and How much women sacrifice to support their sons,

Dr. Weiss said that the new discovery “these whales society and culture have another way unique and highlighted the population of the southern resident killer whale”.