Seattle Now Orcas might be exfoliating with kelp tools
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Jul 10, 2025 Michael Weiss, research director at the Center for Whale Research, dives into the fascinating world of southern resident orcas and their surprising use of kelp as grooming tools. He discusses how this behavior serves as a social bonding ritual among these intelligent marine mammals. Drones have captured their playful interactions, revealing that the kelp not only helps with skin irritations but enhances their social connectivity. Weiss emphasizes the importance of studying these unique behaviors for future marine research, highlighting the complexity of orca social dynamics.
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Orcas Use Kelp as Grooming Tools
- Southern resident orcas use two-foot kelp pieces as grooming tools, rubbing them between their bodies to remove dead skin.
- This social tool use is unique, combining hygiene and relationship-building unlike typical food-related tool use in marine mammals.
Kelp Grooming Benefits Health and Bonds
- Orcas with more dead, peeling skin tend to kelp groom more, suggesting exfoliation or itch relief benefits.
- The behavior also strengthens social bonds, much like grooming in primates between closely related individuals.
Unique Cooperative Tool Use in Orcas
- Marine mammals such as sea otters and dolphins use tools for food, but orcas uniquely use tools for hygiene and social bonding.
- This tool use demands cooperation, as the kelp is manipulated between two whales, showing rare multi-individual tool use.