Overview

• Griffith University researchers compiled 199 multimedia records of encounters between 19 baleen whale and dolphin species in 17 countries
• They report that about one in four meetings involved mutual interactions that appeared playful or friendly
• In particular, humpback whales displayed behaviors like rolling onto their sides and exposing their bellies as dolphins swam near heads, rode pressure waves and maintained close eye contact
• Rare instances of tail slaps during food competition showed that conflict can arise when resources are scarce
• Researchers note that opportunistic social-media and tag-camera footage carries sampling biases and recommend systematic studies to verify the social play hypothesis