Ooh, that’s the SWEET spot. Right between my fins.
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
Sugar scrubs are all the rage these days. They clean our pores and soothe our itches. Now, would you believe killer whales also enjoy that creature comfort?
Michael Weiss and team at the University of Exeter observed orcas in the Salish Sea.
In a pod of twenty-five, nineteen were seen grooming! They bit bull kelp into short pieces. Then, they would find another whale and rub the kelp between their bodies! Scientists believe that this socially bonds the orcas and helps remove their dead skin.
Now that’s a whale of a skincare routine! A little anti-aging kelp, some fresh fish – and you’re glowing Free Willy!
Reference: Weiss, M. N., John, R. E., Caro-Ruiz, A. M., Ellifrit, D. K., Grimes, C. A., Redmond, T. A., Vargas, A. A., & Croft, D. P. (2025). Manufacture and use of allogrooming tools by wild killer whales. Current biology : CB, 35(12), R599–R600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.021