Seals Clapback
Unique footage of a gray seal clapping underwater reveals a new way the animals communicate underwater … and scientists flip out. Seal footage credit: Ben Burville
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00:00 New footage revealed a cute form of underwater chit-chat among seals.
00:06 Captured near the Farn Islands in northeast England, the footage showed a male grey seal
00:10 smacking his flippers together forcefully.
00:12 That's the first time a wild seal was filmed clapping underwater, unprompted by training
00:18 or any sort of delicious treat from zookeepers.
00:21 The claps were surprisingly loud, and scientists still aren't sure how the seal was able
00:25 to make such a piercing sound underwater without having any air to compress between its flippers.
00:29 The seal swam near a female seal and another male seal.
00:34 The male would sometimes reply with clapping of his own, but the female would not.
00:38 Based on the new footage and previous anecdotes, the authors concluded that only male seals
00:42 appear to clap like this.
00:44 It's not clear why seals might clap, but researchers suggest it could be to attract mates or shoo
00:48 away competitors.
00:49 That's your strange news snapshot.
00:51 I'm Yasmin Sabagoli with Live Science.
00:58 Not strange enough for you?
00:59 Then check out more strange news at LiveScience.com
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