The camera took whales to enjoy a nautical version of… a spa off the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia.

Dr. Olaf Meinecke and his colleagues at Griffith University are trying to shed light on the behavior of competing flocks of minke whales that use the waters of the Gold Coast for recreation, breeding and communication.

During two southern migratory seasons in late 2021 and 2022, sensors with built-in cameras attached to the backs of several cetaceans recorded five whales rolling on the sand on the seafloor.

“They did these weird somersaults, completely flipping on their back and sideways,” explains the marine ecologist.

“You could really see the skin coming off them. And then the fish come and eat it. The fish also gnawed on the skin of the whales, they ate not only what was floating in the water,” he says.

It turned out that the whales were looking for approximately the same area – about 10 kilometers from the coast, at a depth of 40-50 meters.

Meinecke said the area, which seems to be frequented by huge marine mammals, probably has a good mix of sand and gravel, making it easier for them to “exfoliate.”

“If the skin is left for too long, then shellfish can settle on it. “Obviously they are small when they are attacked, and while they are small, it is easy to run away from them,” Meinecke says.

“However, when they get bigger, it is very difficult for the whales to get rid of them. They can become very large and heavy and uncomfortable to carry around as this affects their mobility,” she explains.

The visual material from the cameras reveals another mystery. Like humans, magpies seem to find time in their gritty “spa” – a great way to spend time with their friends or partners.

“These five whales were spitting in a similar way to communicate,” Meinecke says.

“We had two whales swimming together for hours. They clearly had a very good relationship, and they were filmed skating and having fun together,” he adds.

This impressive behavior is detailed in scientific journal Marine Science and Engineering.

Source: Guardian