Even the creatures of the ocean know there’s no “I” in team.
A new study from Scientific Reports observed the relationship between orcas, or killer whales, and dolphins, suggesting that dolphins “may act as scouts” in helping orcas hunt salmon.
“We observed frequent co-occurrence and coordinated movements, with the killer whales orienting towards the dolphins and following them to depth,” the study’s abstract reads. “We also recorded reduced echolocation and rolling movements by the killer whales in the presence of dolphins, suggesting that the whales may eavesdrop on dolphin echolocations to scan broader areas to locate large Chinook salmon—prey that are too big for the dolphins to capture and swallow whole.”
The whales then thanked the dolphins by breaking up the fish for them to feed on.
“No antagonistic interactions or avoidance behaviours were observed between the killer whales and dolphins,” the study reads.
Sounds like even teamwork is better down where it’s wetter, under the sea.