Amazingly, dolphins receive whales

For the first time, scientists noted the case of a bottlenose dolphin adopting a melon whale and taking care of it as their own.

This case was discovered in 2014 by scientists of Groupe d'Etude des Mammiferes Marins de Polynésie (a group of marine mammalian research groups). At that time, they found a head whale always swimming close beside the mother of the bottle dolphin off the coast of French Polynesia. They were surprised but they did not confirm this strange act.

After more than three years of observation, the team published the study in Ethology magazine, confirming that this is the first case where dolphins received whales to be recorded.

Dolphins only give birth and raise one animal at a time - (Photo: AFP / Getty).

Pamela Carzon, leader of Groupe d'Etude des Mammiferes Marins de Polynesie, said the research center was very happy and surprised and watched the parents of the dolphin every day for the past three years.

Adoption began when the head whale was more than a year old, after its mother "disappeared for unknown reasons".

"This is very rare. Because dolphins often only give birth and raise a baby dolphin every time. Until we realize that one of the fry is the first whale, we are even more surprised." , Pamela Carzon shared.

Scientists found that early whales rarely left their adoptive mother. It takes the action of competing mother's love with the other child and begins to behave like a real dolphin.

It also regularly communicates with other baby dolphins and swims up on the waves with them.

Although not affirmative, scientists believe that the "lack of experience and character" of the mother dolphin can make her adopt a different species. In other words, maternal instincts may be the main reason for dolphins to adopt a baby whale. In addition, the perseverance of mother dolphins in caring for baby whales also plays an important role in the success of this relationship.

"It is difficult to confirm the real reason, because we do not have a clear study of how the head whale is born and separated from its mother. Maybe the whale's mother died or moved. to another social form, " said Mitch Carzon, a member of the research team.

After more than 3 years, adult head whales have separated from their adoptive mother, like most other baby dolphins.

This is the first time scientists have recorded a case of a bottlenose dolphin adopting a melon head whale and taking care of it like their own. Previously in 2006, the scientific community had recorded the case of capuchin monkeys (monkey cap monkeys) adopting a squirrel-tailed monkey.