National Geographic said it captured the first footage of killer whales rubbing up against an iceberg.
AdvertisementOrcas living in the freezing waters of Antarctica have been captured in footage rubbing up against icebergs in what could be an innovative skincare technique.
AdvertisementLike humans, whales and dolphins typically shed their skin continuously, and most of them have no problem doing this in warmer waters.
The study found that some antarctic killer whales make an essentially nonstop, nearly 7,000-mile migration to warmer waters that takes six to eight weeks.
While the reasons whales migrate remain a mystery, the study argued the evidence suggests "deferred skin molt could be the main driver of long-distance migration for antarctic killer whales."
Persons:
—, Robert Pitman, Pitman, Andrew Trites
Organizations:
Service, National Geographic, Newsweek, Mammal, Oregon State, Mammal Institute, Pacific Northwest, Northern, Marine Mammal Research, University of British
Locations:
Antarctica, molting, Pacific, British Colombia, Canada, University of British Columbia