{"id":240777,"date":"2025-10-26T06:10:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-26T06:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/240777\/"},"modified":"2025-10-26T06:10:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-26T06:10:17","slug":"humpback-dolphins-in-western-australia-are-wearing-sea-sponges-as-hats-to-impress-the-ladies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/240777\/","title":{"rendered":"Humpback Dolphins in Western Australia are Wearing Sea Sponges as Hats to Impress the Ladies"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"humpback<\/p>\n

\u201cHey ladies, how do you like my new hat?\u201d Photo: Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions\/\/Instagram<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

You might\u2019ve heard about orcas swimming around with salmon on their heads<\/a>, but it turns out that they\u2019re not the only animals in the sea that like hats. Male humpback dolphins off Western Australia\u2019s northern coast were recently spotted cruising around with sea sponges delicately balanced on their heads.<\/p>\n

According to ABC<\/a>, a researcher who\u2019s been trying to find out why thinks that it\u2019s likely got something to do with impressing the ladies.<\/p>\n

\u201c[The sponges are] different shapes and sizes, different colors,\u201d said Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) senior research scientist Holly Raudino, \u201cbut it all seems to be in this one particular area.\u201d<\/p>\n

So far, the odd sight has only been seen in a few spots: in the Pilbara and the Kimberley, including the Exmouth Gulf and Dampier. Although humpback dolphins are found in plenty of other places, the behavior has only been observed in those areas, lending credence to the theory that these kinds of things are done when animals enjoy mimicry. There aren\u2019t a whole pile of humpback dolphins left \u2014 they\u2019re listed as vulnerable under the National Environmental Protection Act \u2014 and it\u2019s estimated that less than 10,000 of them are still swimming around in the planet\u2019s oceans.<\/p>\n

The behavior is similar to something seen recently in bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay. In those cases, dolphins were spotted using sea sponges on their noses to hunt for fish<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite looking like barristers, these Australian humpback dolphins [\u2026] aren\u2019t getting ready for court, their sea sponge wigs are worn to impress the ladies!\u201d said the department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions in an Instagram post<\/a>. \u201cMale humpback dolphins wear sea sponges on their heads as offerings to \u2018woo\u2019 females, a bit like offering a bunch of flowers.\u201d<\/p>\n