If you’ve ever been whale watching you might have seen a whale wearing one of these, a seaweed hat. But why do some of our planet’s largest mammals don the green stuff to wear around their oceanic homes? Well, marine biologists are now trying to figure that out.
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00:00 [MUSIC]
00:03 If you've ever been whale watching, you might have seen a whale wearing some of this.
00:07 Kelp as a hat.
00:08 But why do some of our planet's largest mammals don the green stuff to wear around their oceanic homes?
00:13 Well, marine biologists are finally figuring that out.
00:16 The practice is called kelping, and multiple whale species take part,
00:20 including gray whales, southern and northern right whales, and humpback whales.
00:24 Researchers have now gathered kelping data from sightings from all over the world,
00:28 and they're finally narrowing down the why.
00:30 They say it's likely playful in nature.
00:32 However, it could also provide utility as well.
00:34 They suggest kelping could scratch an itch, or perhaps help barnacles fall off,
00:39 or maybe even remove whale lice.
00:41 Whale lice is a parasite that is known to bother whales and cause them discomfort and stress.
00:45 Kelp also has antibacterial properties the whales might be hoping to take advantage of as well.
00:50 Okay, so we've covered the why.
00:51 Now the question is, how do they get it on there?
00:53 Biologists say the sightings most frequently occur in areas where kelp blooms are prevalent.
00:58 And more recent drone videos have actually observed whales seeking the kelp out specifically.
01:02 They have even been observed helping each other balance the kelp on each other's heads.
01:07 [Music]