Female dolphins recognize aggressive males by their calls and avoid them during mating season, study finds
By
Petra Stock
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Summary
New research shows that female bottlenose dolphins recognize individual males by their unique calls and remember their past aggressive behavior. During mating season, females actively avoid the most aggressive males. However, older females and those with calves (who are unavailable for mating) do not show this avoidant behavior, suggesting the behavior is specifically related to mate selection rather than general social avoidance.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledFemale dolphins identify males by their unique calls and keep track of their past behaviour, choosing to avoid the most aggressive males during mating season
Bottlenose dolphin society is complex, and male and female dolphins often know each other for decades
Males might perform displays to impress the females, or engage in affiliative behaviours like touching or petting, a bit like holding hands in humans
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