Social lives of whales and dolphins shape the spread of infectious diseases

By Caitlin Nicholls, PhD Candidate, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University
Guido J. Parra, Associate Professor, Research Leader of the Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab, Flinders University
Luciana Möller, Associate Professor in Marine Biology, Flinders University

Dolphins, whales and seals are highly social animals. Many live in groups, form long-term relationships, and repeatedly interact with the same individuals over years or even decades. Some dolphins have preferred companions, while others move between groups in fluid, ever-changing social networks.

These social lives bring many benefits, from cooperative foraging to protection against predators. However, our new research, published in the journal…

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