00:00 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins practice a very thorough skin care routine,
00:05 which involves a lot of coral mucus.
00:08 These dolphins live in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt,
00:13 and rub their bodies against certain types of corals and sponges.
00:18 Scientists first observed this rubbing behavior about 13 years ago,
00:22 after divers had already seen it anecdotally.
00:27 At the time, scientists didn't know why the dolphins shimmied against the corals in this way,
00:31 but they suspected that the behavior might have medicinal benefits.
00:35 Now, in a new study, these researchers have identified 17 bioactive compounds
00:41 that the dolphins' preferred corals and sponges produce.
00:44 These compounds include antibacterial substances and antioxidants,
00:49 as well as hormone-like compounds that might help maintain skin hydration and elasticity.
00:55 Plus, some of the corals produce small amounts of toxic compounds
00:59 that may help to kill parasites on the skin's surface.
01:02 By regularly coating their silver-gray bodies in these compounds,
01:06 the dolphins may prevent and treat skin infection,
01:09 as well as generally maintain their skin microbiomes,
01:12 or the community of microorganisms that live on their flesh.
01:16 These are the first officially reported observations of a dolphin species self-medicating in this way.
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