Dolphins and Whales News -- ScienceDaily

Why do whales migrate? They return to the tropics to shed their skin (Fri, 21 Feb 2020)
Whales undertake some of the longest migrations on earth, often swimming many thousands of miles, over many months, to breed in the tropics. The question is why? Scientists propose that whales that forage in polar waters migrate to low latitudes to maintain healthy skin.
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A better pregnancy test for whales (Thu, 20 Feb 2020)
To determine whale pregnancy, researchers have relied on visual cues or hormone tests of blubber collected via darts, but the results were often inconclusive. Research points to a weakness of previous testing and evaluation methods and provides a new hormone testing regime that offers better results.
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Earthquakes disrupt sperm whales' ability to find food (Thu, 20 Feb 2020)
Scientists studying sperm whales have discovered earthquakes affect their ability to find food for at least a year. The research is among the first to examine the impact of a large earthquake on a population of marine mammals, and offers new insight into how top predators such as sperm whales react and adapt to a large-scale natural disturbance.
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Dolphins gather in female family groups (Mon, 10 Feb 2020)
Social clusters including mothers' groups play an important role in the life of southern Australian bottlenose dolphins, a new study shows. Like giraffes, lions, hyenas and grey kangaroos, bottlenose dolphins appear to form social bonds with kin and other females in similar reproductive condition, while maintaining moderate and loose social bonds with some same-sex individuals.
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Grey seals discovered clapping underwater to communicate (Mon, 03 Feb 2020)
Wild grey seals can clap their flippers underwater during breeding season.
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