Doplins are often hailed as the most intelligent animals in the ocean, while whales are the biggest. However, both of these large-brained animals have been known to interact with humans. Both species have one special trait which marks them out as being intelligent – curiosity.
However, they have recently been seen interacting with each other. They are each known to act playfully in the presence of other species but this recent sighting has blown all others out of the water. Off the coast of Hawaii, photographer and marine biologist Lori Mazzuca took this incredible picture of a bottlenose dolphin hitching a ride on a humpback whale.
Lori explained that the dolphin was balancing for as long as possible on the whale’s head, before eventually sliding down its back at which point it would shimmy back up again. Lori stated that the whale was clearly consenting and that the two mammals were playing together.
As a Marine Mammal Biologist at the’s US Navy’s SPAWAR Systems Centre Pacific and a co-author of a paper which studies the behaviour between the pair, we can definitely trust that Lori knows what she’s talking about. She stated “play by the whale and social play by the dolphin seem to be the most plausible explanations for the interaction.”
Ken Ramirez, Vice President of animal care and training at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium explained that “based on the description, I believe play would be the best explanation. If this were a video, there would be far more information to allow for better interpretation. But it is believed that the ‘surfing’ or bow riding that dolphins exhibit in front of boats may have had its genesis in riding in front or in the wake of big whales.”
Far from an isolated incident, the pair have been spotted all around the coast of Hawaii and are making quite a name for themselves. The American Natural History Museum has created the following video which explains where they’ve been spotted.
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