Cetaceans (whales/dolphins/porpoises) have been seen to rub their bodies on the rocks of the ocean floor, but it has been previously unclear as to why they do this. Researchers in Australia designed a study to look at behaviors like sand rolling and resting in humpback whales, using a unique tracking system attached to the whales with suction cups. Some of the footage showed that the whales rub themselves along the sandy bottoms of the ocean, and dead skin comes off their bodies and floats away. The authors suggest that the animals may be doing this to get rid of barnacles or other unwanted attachments (like dead skin) from their body!

Art by Karli Chudeau

[Edited by Isabelle McDonald]

Inspired by this National Geographic article.

Reference:

Meynecke, J., Gustafon, J., & Cade, D. E. (2023). Exfoliating Whales–Sandy Bottom Contact Behaviour of Humpback Whales. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 11(3), 600. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030600