Whales and dolphins seek each other out to play

A new study watching whales and dolphins together suggests play is not rare and not always one-sided. The team sifted through videos and images from around the world to classify exactly what each animal did during these encounters 

The research lands at a moment when millions of people are capturing wildlife on their phones, and scientists are turning that stream into data. The project was led by Dr. Olaf Meynecke of Griffith University’s Whales & Climate Program .

What the study tracked

The dataset covered 199 independent events involving 19 species and documented 425 baleen whales and an estimated 1,570 dolphins.

Humpback whales accounted for most whale observations, while bottlenose dolphins were the most frequently recorded dolphins.

The researchers coded where dolphins positioned themselves relative to the whales, how both sides moved, and which age classes were present.

The analysis treated each shift in position or behavior as a datapoint rather than only counting a whole event.

Footage of whales and dolphins

The team combined publicly shared footage, tourism operator videos, and research clips, and then applied verification checks to confirm identities and avoid duplicates.

Two whale-mounted camera tags added a view from the whales themselves and showed dolphins staying engaged below the surface as well.

Baleen whales belong to the group Mysticeti – the massive filter feeders that include humpbacks, fin whales, and blue whales. Dolphins, on the other hand, are members of the Delphinidae family – known for their complex social lives and swift, agile movements.

Whale and dolphin interactions

In most events, dolphins favored the whale’s head region, the rostrum, where pressure waves can help them move with less effort. This positioning lined up with widespread reports of bow riding, when dolphins surf the wave in front of a moving body.

Humpbacks often responded with slow, oriented movements, pectoral fin gestures, rolling, and belly presentations. The researchers said that tail slaps and signs of aggression were rare and made up only 5% of the whale-dolphin interactions.

“And in particular for humpback whales, we found that for one third of the events the behavioral responses towards the dolphins appear positive,” said Meynecke.

“The humpback whales were rolling from side to side, undertaking belly presentation and other behaviors that are associated with courtship or friendly socializing.”

The experts suggested that not only do whales and dolphins coexist – but also seem to seek each other out. 

Why play matters in marine life

Animal play is more than a-feel-good idea. A leading framework describes play as voluntary, rewarding, and different in form from serious behavior, often occurring when an animal is not stressed.

Scientists also split play into categories, including locomotor play, object play, and social play.

When two species interact, researchers refer to it as interspecific social play – mutual, cooperative behavior that displays typical play signals, though sometimes the interaction may be one-sided.

Energetics add another layer to the story of dolphins near whale heads. A 2024 study found bow riding dusky dolphins had significantly lower respiration rates at the same travel speeds than free-swimming dolphins, supporting the idea that this position can save energy while the animals move.

That does not mean every close pass is playful or efficient. Context matters, and the same behaviors can carry different meanings during feeding, traveling, or social bouts.

Looking for patterns in the data

Reports of whales and dolphins in close contact go back decades, but systematic counts across many species and places have been rare.

One well documented case described humpback whales lifting bottlenose dolphins out of the water, a striking interaction debated as play, caregiving, or a response to harassment.

Those events were unusual, yet they helped shape today’s questions about intent and reciprocity. The new analysis builds on that history by treating many everyday encounters as data rather than curiosities.

Social media and drone clips now extend the reach of field observations without replacing traditional surveys. With consistent verification, these sources can reveal patterns that were hard to see when studies were limited to a few sites and seasons.

Future of dolphin-whale interactions

Play and tolerance across species hint at flexible social rules in the open ocean. If whales and dolphins often meet without conflict, those interactions could influence how they share space, find food, or learn about each other over time.

Future work can test whether specific whale behaviors invite or discourage close approaches and whether local conditions change the odds that play turns mutual.

Tag videos, UAV footage, and standardized ethograms will help sort those possibilities with fewer gaps and fewer assumptions.

The study is published in the journal Discover Animals.

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