Latest news with #socialbonds
The Independent
03-07-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Orcas captured ‘kissing' on camera for the first time
Watch the moment two orcas were caught on camera 'kissing' in the wild for the first time. Remarkable footage shows the pair of killer whales nibbling each other's tongues for almost two minutes before parting and swimming away. The unusual interaction was captured by a group of nature tourists on a snorkelling expedition in the Norwegian Fjords in October 2024. In a paper published in the journal Oceans on June 11 analysing the behaviour, the researchers described the interaction as 'repeated episodes of gentle, face-to-face oral contact'. Study author Dr Javier Almunia told Live Science: 'This behaviour appears to serve affiliative purposes and may play a role in reinforcing social bonds or resolving conflicts, akin to grooming or reconciliation behaviours in other highly social species.'
Malay Mail
30-06-2025
- Science
- Malay Mail
You scratch my back: Killer whales use seaweed as tools to bond and exfoliate, study finds
Whales observed in Salish Sea off western North America Behaviour is a rare instance of tool use by marine mammals It may promote skin health and strengthen social bonds WASHINGTON, July 1 — Killer whales are known for exceptional intelligence, displaying complex social structures and sophisticated communication. New research provides fresh evidence for this, documenting how these marine mammals use stalks of seaweed as tools to groom each other — as in, 'You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.' Using drones to observe a population of killer whales in the Salish Sea, part of the Pacific Ocean between Washington state and British Columbia, researchers noticed that these predators engaged in a behaviour they named 'allokelping,' one of the few known examples of tool use by marine mammals. The killer whales find large stalks of a type of seaweed called bull kelp, either attached to the seabed or floating at the surface. They then bite off the end of the stalk, position it between themselves and another killer whale and roll the kelp between their bodies. The researchers hypothesise that the behaviour promotes skin health while strengthening social bonds. Other populations of killer whales have been observed rubbing their bodies on smooth stone beaches, possibly to remove dead skin. 'Most examples of tool use in animals involve solving ecological problems, such as gaining access to food. For example, chimpanzees use sticks to fish for termites. What's remarkable about this discovery is that the tool — the kelp — is used not to obtain food but to facilitate social interaction,' said marine biologist Darren Croft of the University of Exeter in England, co-author of the study published this week in the journal Current Biology. 'This kind of socially motivated tool use is extremely rare in non-human animals and has previously only been observed in a small number of primates, usually in captivity,' added Croft, executive director of the Centre for Whale Research, a scientific organisation based in Washington state that has studied this population of killer whales since the 1970s. A pair of killer whales swim, one of which has kelp in its mouth, as researchers document a behaviour called 'allokelping' in which one killer whale uses kelp to massage the back of another killer whale, in this handout photograph taken near Admiralty Inlet, Washington April 10, 2024. — Centre for Whale Research, NMFS NOAA Permit 27038 handout pic via Reuters The researchers documented the behaviour among both male and female killer whales of all ages. It likely plays an important role in their social lives, Croft said. There are some other examples of tool use among marine mammals. Sea otters use rocks and other hard objects to crack open shells to get at the meat inside. And certain dolphins use marine sponges to protect their snouts and stir up the seabed while foraging. The researchers said the behaviour by the killer whales goes one step further because they modify an object for use as a tool. 'While this is not the first documented case of cetacean or marine mammal tool use, it is — as far as we know — the first case of cetacean tool manufacturing with tool use. The whales are not just finding perfect lengths of kelp in the environment, but rather actively modifying larger intact stalks of kelp to create the pieces they are using for allokelping,' said study co-author Rachel John, a University of Exeter graduate student studying killer whale behaviour. 'Another key part of what makes this behaviour so unique is the fact that they are manipulating the kelp cooperatively with a partner without the use of hands or any hand-like appendages. They use their mouth to position the kelp initially, but after that they only use the momentum and pressure of the core of their bodies to maintain contact with each other and the kelp between them,' John added. The behaviour is known only among this killer whale population. Two killer whales engage in a behaviour called 'allokelping', which consists in one killer whale using kelp to massage the back of another killer whale, in this handout photograph taken near San Juan Island, Washington June 19, 2024. — Centre for Whale Research, NMFS NOAA Permit 27038 handout pic via Reuters 'We found that individuals with more visible peeling skin were more likely to engage in allokelping, suggesting that the behaviour may serve a skin-care function. Brown seaweeds like kelp are known to have antibacterial properties, so it's plausible that rubbing with kelp helps improve skin health,' Croft said. 'Second, we think this behaviour likely plays a role in maintaining social bonds. Physical contact is known to be important for social cohesion in many species, including humans. Just as we might hug a friend we haven't seen in a while, it's possible that allokelping serves to reinforce social relationships among whales,' Croft added. This kelp grows in cold and nutrient-rich coastal and intertidal waters and thrives off the western coast of North America, which includes the home range of these killer whales. This population is at grave risk of extinction, Croft said, with only 73 individuals counted in the latest census. They are highly specialised salmon hunters, particularly reliant on Chinook salmon. As salmon populations have declined, in part due to dam-building on spawning rivers, the whales have struggled to find enough food. 'In short, they are starving,' Croft said. — Reuters
Reuters
24-06-2025
- Science
- Reuters
Killer whales use seaweed as tools to groom each other
June 24 (Reuters) - Killer whales are known for exceptional intelligence, displaying complex social structures and sophisticated communication. New research provides fresh evidence for this, documenting how these marine mammals use stalks of seaweed as tools to groom each other - as in, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours." Using drones to observe a population of killer whales in the Salish Sea, part of the Pacific Ocean between Washington state and British Columbia, researchers noticed that these predators engaged in a behavior they named "allokelping," one of the few known examples of tool use by marine mammals. The killer whales find large stalks of a type of seaweed called bull kelp, either attached to the seabed or floating at the surface. They then bite off the end of the stalk, position it between themselves and another killer whale and roll the kelp between their bodies. The researchers hypothesize that the behavior promotes skin health while strengthening social bonds. Other populations of killer whales have been observed rubbing their bodies on smooth stone beaches, possibly to remove dead skin. "Most examples of tool use in animals involve solving ecological problems, such as gaining access to food. For example, chimpanzees use sticks to fish for termites. What's remarkable about this discovery is that the tool - the kelp - is used not to obtain food but to facilitate social interaction," said marine biologist Darren Croft of the University of Exeter in England, co-author of the study published this week in the journal Current Biology, opens new tab. "This kind of socially motivated tool use is extremely rare in non-human animals and has previously only been observed in a small number of primates, usually in captivity," added Croft, executive director of the Center for Whale Research, a scientific organization based in Washington state that has studied this population of killer whales since the 1970s. The researchers documented the behavior among both male and female killer whales of all ages. It likely plays an important role in their social lives, Croft said. There are some other examples of tool use among marine mammals. Sea otters use rocks and other hard objects to crack open shells to get at the meat inside. And certain dolphins use marine sponges to protect their snouts and stir up the seabed while foraging. The researchers said the behavior by the killer whales goes one step further because they modify an object for use as a tool. "While this is not the first documented case of cetacean or marine mammal tool use, it is - as far as we know - the first case of cetacean tool manufacturing with tool use. The whales are not just finding perfect lengths of kelp in the environment, but rather actively modifying larger intact stalks of kelp to create the pieces they are using for allokelping," said study co-author Rachel John, a University of Exeter graduate student studying killer whale behavior. "Another key part of what makes this behavior so unique is the fact that they are manipulating the kelp cooperatively with a partner without the use of hands or any hand-like appendages. They use their mouth to position the kelp initially, but after that they only use the momentum and pressure of the core of their bodies to maintain contact with each other and the kelp between them," John added. The behavior is known only among this killer whale population. "We found that individuals with more visible peeling skin were more likely to engage in allokelping, suggesting that the behavior may serve a skin-care function. Brown seaweeds like kelp are known to have antibacterial properties, so it's plausible that rubbing with kelp helps improve skin health," Croft said. "Second, we think this behavior likely plays a role in maintaining social bonds. Physical contact is known to be important for social cohesion in many species, including humans. Just as we might hug a friend we haven't seen in a while, it's possible that allokelping serves to reinforce social relationships among whales," Croft added. This kelp grows in cold and nutrient-rich coastal and intertidal waters and thrives off the western coast of North America, which includes the home range of these killer whales. This population is at grave risk of extinction, Croft said, with only 73 individuals counted in the latest census. They are highly specialized salmon hunters, particularly reliant on Chinook salmon. As salmon populations have declined, in part due to dam-building on spawning rivers, the whales have struggled to find enough food. "In short, they are starving," Croft said.
CTV News
22-06-2025
- Science
- CTV News
Why baboons walk in line: It's not survival – its friendship, scientists say
A new study is challenging long-held assumptions about animal movement, suggesting that baboons don't march in line to protect themselves or to follow a leader, but rather, to stay close to their friends. Published in Behavioral Ecology, the peer-reviewed study, led by researchers at Swansea University in the U.K., found that social bonds – not strategy – best explain why wild chacma baboons form consistent travel lines during group movements. In other words: the animals are walking in line because they just want to hang out with their friends. The researchers tracked 25 wild baboons in South Africa over 36 days, using high-resolution GPS collars to record 78 travel progressions, also known as 'lines,' formed as the baboons moved across the landscape. The team tested four potential patterns: predator avoidance, food competition, dominance hierarchy, or social relationships. The data pointed to the fourth option. Julie Teichroeb, primate researcher and associate professor at the University of Toronto Scarborough, says this doesn't come as a surprise. 'For a long time, it was this idea that big males, especially in baboons, are at the head and back of the group, protecting everyone within the group,' Teichroeb told in an interview Thursday. 'I'm glad someone showed it's not a selected kind of organization. They leave in groups because they're hanging out together.' Teichroeb said that despite the limited study duration, multiple movements were observed each day and a pattern was spotted quickly. This finding reframes how scientists understand certain group behaviours in the animal kingdom. Traditionally, linear movement in animals, especially in open terrain, has been seen as a defensive formation, with stronger members shielding the more vulnerable. But in this case, researchers found no evidence that the line formation had a survival function. 'It shows how important these social bonds are. The immediate individuals around (them) is really important,' Teichroeb said. Teichroeb says the idea of travel lines is visible in other primate species, like Vervet monkeys, which Teichroeb studied in Uganda. 'Groups of related females and their kids, they're all leaving around the same time, and they're sort of clustered together,' she said. 'Social spandrel' The researchers proposed that the baboons' behaviour is an example of 'social spandrel' – a concept borrowed from evolutionary biology and architecture. A 'spandrel' refers to a feature that arises as a byproduct of something else, rather than a functionally selected trait. In this case, travel lines are an incidental result to strong social bonds. Social relationships serve as an evolutionary function, the study suggests. Teichroeb references the critical approach of evolutionary biologists like Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Lewontin, who argued that not everything has an evolutionary purpose and many things are a secondary byproduct of something else. The study also found that dominant and well-connected baboons consistently held central positions in the line – not because they were leaders or protectors – but because they simply had more social connections, and those connections pulled them inward from multiple directions. Subordinate or less social baboons tended to be at the edges. As for the methodology, Teichroeb said for these studies, GPS devices can give detailed, second-by-second updates on primates' movements. 'It's a lot more than we can do in the field with our eyes,' Teichroeb added. She also warned that studies that heavily rely on GPS points and don't follow animals suffer from a lack of context in social cues and faces. The findings contribute to a growing field of social movement ecology, which studies how social relationships shape group dynamic in animals. While many species move in coordinated ways for protection or efficiency, the study underscores the need to look deeper into the social drivers of those patterns. It also raises the question about how friendship and social bonding influence animal behaviour in subtle ways, including how groups form, travel and make collective decisions. As for further studies, Teichroeb said finding out if this is a species-wide pattern would be insightful. 'It would be neat to see if this is something that emerges in matrilineal species that are really tight female kin groups, or if it emerges in more loosely bonded species that don't have kinship within the group,' Teichroeb suggested. In the end, researchers hope their work will help scientists rethink assumptions about the 'why' behind animal movement. In some cases, the answer may not be life-or-death, just heart-to-heart.
Gulf Business
17-06-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
Steady momentum, strategic shifts: Inside EMEA's sustainable finance landscape
Image: Supplied In this interview with Gulf Business , Lina Abou Diab, EMEA Sustainable Fixed Income & Middle East Securities Lead at From the resilience of green and social bond markets amid macroeconomic uncertainty to the growing prominence of Gulf issuers like Saudi Arabia and UAE's Omniyat, Diab highlights how policy, investor appetite, and long-term sustainability goals are shaping the region's fixed income strategies in 2025. How would you summarise the state of the global and EMEA sustainable fixed income market as of Q1 2025? What are the most notable shifts compared to previous quarters? The year's first quarter marked a steady start for global sustainable fixed income markets, with issuance volumes holding near the $300bn mark. While there was a slight decline compared to the previous quarter, mainly due to macroeconomic volatility, activity has generally remained solid and broadly aligned with recent trends. In EMEA, green bonds continue to anchor the region's sustainable finance landscape. Climate remains and will continue to be a central focus, particularly as the energy transition faces increasing pressure from the rising power demands of AI. The market is holding firm, but we are seeing a gradual shift in strategies as issuers and investors respond to this evolving dynamic. In Q1 2025, we saw nearly $300bn in sustainable bond and loan issuances globally, despite a slight dip in volume. What key factors are driving investor resilience in this space, particularly in EMEA? Investor resilience in EMEA stems from structural factors rather than short-term sentiment. Regulatory support, long-term policy commitments, and market familiarity with green and social instruments continue to underpin demand. Green bonds lead overall market supply, but social bonds also gained traction, with $20.9bn issued in Q1. This suggests a broadening investor appetite for sustainability themes. Green bonds continued to dominate GSS ( green, social, and sustainability ) issuances this quarter, with social bonds also seeing significant traction in EMEA. What does this shift in balance signal about the region's sustainability priorities? In Q1 2025, both France and the Netherlands made significant contributions to the social bond market reflecting their commitment to addressing social challenges through sustainable finance instruments. Their issuances accounted for 45 per cent of social issuance in Q1 in EMEA. France's Caisse d'Amortissement (CADES) issued EUR2.6bn of social bonds focused on healthcare and social inclusion and UNIDEC issuing 2.18 bn focused on access to education and employment generation. This underscores France's approach to financing social initiatives. In Netherlands, BNG Bank continued its support for social housing through its bond programs focusing on affordable housing with a similar size issuance of more than $2.5bn. These bonds underscore the EMEA region's dedication to addressing social challenges through sustainable finance. These actions signal a strategic shift towards a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to sustainability, balancing environmental goals with social imperative. The continued dominance of green bonds, which accounted for more than half of global GSS issuance in Q1, highlights that climate and environmental goals remain at the core of sustainability strategies in EMEA. Countries and corporates in the region are prioritising decarbonization, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and green infrastructure, supported by government policy and market expectations. Saudi Arabia topped the list of debut GSS bond issuers in Q1 2025 with $1.6bn in green bonds. How do you interpret the growing participation of Gulf economies in sustainable finance markets? The surge in GSS activity from Gulf economies, led by Saudi Arabia in Q1 2025, reflects a deliberate strategy to diversify funding sources and signal greater alignment to global markets. The kingdom's inaugural sovereign green bond, part of a $1.5bn euro-denominated issuance, anchors its Green Financing Framework in high-profile environmental targets. This move is not symbolic. It aligns with broader national development goals under Vision 2030 and demonstrates a growing readiness among Gulf issuers to compete in international capital markets on sustainability credentials. The use of euro-denominated instruments also suggests an intent to broaden the investor base. Your report highlights SDG 11 ('Sustainable Cities and Communities) as the most commonly referenced goal in GSS frameworks. Why do you think this SDG is leading, and what does this say about issuer strategy in 2025? We see that issuers are prioritising SDG 11, with a particular focus on energy-efficiency infrastructure, in response to growing concerns over climate-related risks such as extreme heat and flooding, especially in urban areas. As cities continue to bear the brunt of climate disruptions, resilience and sustainability have become a top priority. Rather than simply meeting disclosure requirements, issuers are using SDG 11 as a framework to future-proof assets and mitigate long-term operational risks. For example, UAE-based Omniyat's debut green bond targets environmentally sustainable real estate, a move that reflects both regulatory momentum and growing investor scrutiny on the real-world impact of GSS-labelled instruments. Read:
