Seals Clapback

Live Science

Unique footage of a gray seal clapping underwater reveals a new way the animals communicate underwater … and scientists flip out. Seal footage credit: Ben Burville

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00:00New footage revealed a cute form of underwater chit-chat among seals.

00:06Captured near the Farn Islands in northeast England, the footage showed a male grey seal

00:10smacking his flippers together forcefully.

00:12That's the first time a wild seal was filmed clapping underwater, unprompted by training

00:18or any sort of delicious treat from zookeepers.

00:21The claps were surprisingly loud, and scientists still aren't sure how the seal was able

00:25to make such a piercing sound underwater without having any air to compress between its flippers.

00:30The seal swam near a female seal and another male seal.

00:34The male would sometimes reply with clapping of his own, but the female would not.

00:38Based on the new footage and previous anecdotes, the authors concluded that only male seals

00:42appear to clap like this.

00:44It's not clear why seals might clap, but researchers suggest it could be to attract mates or shoo

00:48away competitors.

00:49That's your strange news snapshot.

00:51I'm Yasmin Sabagoli with LiveScience.

00:58Not strange enough for you?

00:59Then check out more strange news at LiveScience.com

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