Get ready to be both sad and inspired by the beauty of nature: A lone bottlenose dolphin with a S-shaped spine deformity was spotted swimming among a pod of sperm whales in the North Atlantic.
As National Geographic explains:
The researchers observed the group in the ocean surrounding the Azores — about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) off the coast of Lisbon, Portugal — for eight days as the dolphin traveled, foraged, and played with both the adult whales and their calves. When the dolphin rubbed its body against the whales, they would sometimes return the gesture.
My heart!
Apparently this sort of cross-species alliances aren’t uncommon as they provide foraging benefits and protection against predators. But my question is, what group of asshole dolphins abandoned this sweet little s-curve dolphie? Seriously, fuck those guys. (JK I love all dolphins, even the ones who are mean as hell.)
[photo via Alexander Wilson and Aquatic Mammals]
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