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These Male Dolphins Do Something Rare: Day Care
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- Franciscana dolphins, small and elusive, inhabit the murky coastal waters of Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, with much of current knowledge coming from bycatch studies.
- Marine biologist Marcos César de Oliveira Santos observed these dolphins in clearer waters near Ubatuba, Brazil, using drones to study their behavior in a natural setting.
- Unexpectedly, Santos documented rare male babysitting behavior, where smaller males were seen accompanying mother-calf pairs and assisting in their activities.
- These observations suggest that male Franciscana dolphins may play a role in caring for offspring, a behavior uncommon among male mammals.
