00:00Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins practice a very thorough skin care routine, which involves
00:06a lot of coral mucus.
00:10These dolphins live in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt and rub their bodies against
00:15certain types of corals and sponges.
00:19Scientists first observed this rubbing behavior about 13 years ago after divers had already
00:23seen it anecdotally.
00:27At the time, scientists didn't know why the dolphins shimmied against the corals in
00:30this way, but they suspected that the behavior might have medicinal benefits.
00:35Now, in a new study, these researchers have identified 17 bioactive compounds that the
00:41dolphins' preferred corals and sponges produce.
00:45These compounds include antibacterial substances and antioxidants, as well as hormone-like compounds
00:51that might help maintain skin hydration and elasticity.
00:55Plus, some of the corals produce small amounts of toxic compounds that may help to kill parasites
01:00on the skin's surface.
01:02By regularly coating their silver-gray bodies in these compounds, the dolphins may prevent
01:07and treat skin infection, as well as generally maintain their skin microbiomes, or the community
01:13of microorganisms that live on their flesh.
01:16These are the first officially reported observations of a dolphin species self-medicating in this
01:22way.
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