Deformed Dolphin Adopted By Whales---A lonely, deformed bottlenose dolphin has found a new family after a pod of sperm whales took him in. German researchers spotted the adult dolphin, which has a spinal malformation, swimming with the whales off the coast of Portugal over eight days in 2011.
"It really looked like they had accepted the dolphin for whatever reason," behavioural ecologist Alexander Wilson said.
"They were being very sociable."
Experts believed the deformed dolphin may have clung to the whales because it was "picked on" or couldn't keep up with its own species, while the whales swam more slowly and would always leave a "babysitter" near the surface to mind the young calves while adults dived deeper.
But they said what was "puzzling" about the relationship was what the whales got out of the bargain.
UK behavioural biologist Luke Rendell said the whales may have simply enjoyed the dolphin's attention or "could just be thinking, 'Wow, this is a kind of weird calf'."
"It really looked like they had accepted the dolphin for whatever reason," behavioural ecologist Alexander Wilson said.
"They were being very sociable."
Experts believed the deformed dolphin may have clung to the whales because it was "picked on" or couldn't keep up with its own species, while the whales swam more slowly and would always leave a "babysitter" near the surface to mind the young calves while adults dived deeper.
But they said what was "puzzling" about the relationship was what the whales got out of the bargain.
UK behavioural biologist Luke Rendell said the whales may have simply enjoyed the dolphin's attention or "could just be thinking, 'Wow, this is a kind of weird calf'."
