The incredible moment bowhead whales rub themselves against large rocks to EXFOLIATE as part of their annual pamper regime
- Researchers saw bowhead whales rubbing on rocks in the Cumberland Sound
- The whales turn on their sides and wave their flippers as the molt on the rock
- Whales return every summer because warm waters help the molting process
- But as ocean temperatures rise, this could affect their pamper regime
They may be over ten times larger than the average human, but it seems that bowhead whales love to be pampered just as much as we do.
A new video has shown the enormous creatures using rocks to exfoliate in Nunavut, Canada – almost like giant pumice stones.
The incredible footage sheds light on why bowhead whales return to the area every summer, and helps to explain some unusual behaviour noted by Inuit people in the past.
They may be over ten times larger than the average human, but it seems that bowhead whales love to be pampered just as much as we do. A new video has shown the enormous creatures using rocks to exfoliate in Nunavut, Canada – almost like giant pumice stones
Researchers from the University of British Columbia saw bowhead whales rubbing themselves on rocks in the Cumberland Sound, Nunavut.
Sarah Fortune, lead author of the study, said: 'This was an incidental observation.
'We were there to document their prey and feeding behaviour, but we noticed some strange behaviour near the shore.'
From their boat, the researchers saw the whales turn on their sides and wave their flippers and tails in the air.
This behaviour suggested that the whales weren't just there to feed.
The researchers then sent drones into the air to record the animals from above.
The footage revealed large boulders underwater that the whales were rubbing against to remove dead skin.
Ms Fortune said: 'We now know that Cumberland Sound serves as a habitat for feeding and molting.
Researchers from the University of British Columbia saw bowhead whales rubbing themselves on rocks in the Cumberland Sound, Nunavut
'Very little is known about molting in any of the large whale species.'
The researchers suggest that the warmer coastal waters in summer may help facilitate molting.
But as ocean temperatures continue to rise, this could have drastic implications for the timing, duration and energy needed for molting, according to the researchers.
From their boat, the researchers saw the whales turn on their sides and wave their flippers and tails in the air
The researchers sent drones into the air to record the animals from above. The footage revealed large boulders underwater that the whales were rubbing against to remove dead skin
Their diet could also be affected by rising temperatures.
Bowhead whales normally eat fatty Arctic crustaceans known as zooplankton, but as oceans change, these creatures may move to habitats further north.
This could force the bowhead whales to eat smaller-bodied species that are lower in energy.
The researchers hope their findings will help to determine whether bowhead whales molt primarily during summer months, and throughout their range.
The researchers suggest that the warmer coastal waters in the Cumberland Sound in summer may help facilitate molting
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