western australia

humpback dolphins

Male dolphins have taken to wearing wigs

@JudyEv (382566)

Rockingham, Australia

October 23, 2025 6:28pm CST

An interesting news story tells of male humpback dolphins off the coast of Western Australia using sea-sponges as wigs to attract mates. This behaviour has only been seen in a small number of areas off our northern coasts. Humpback dolphins are listed as vulnerable by the National Environmental Protection group. Bottlenose dolphins also use sponges but as an aid for fossicking around coral when searching for food. The local pod at Monkey Mia carry sponges on their snout to stop their face getting cut up by the coral. The first examples of ‘sponging’ was noticed in the 1980s and provided evidence of marine mammals using tools. I took the photo when we were house-sitting on the canals at Busselton.

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15 responses

@xFiacre (14804)

• Ireland

24 Oct

@judyev Well if it works for me why not for the dolphin? Only joking, I’d never be desperate enough to wear a wig to attract a lady to be clear. But good luck to them.

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@xFiacre (14804)

• Ireland

24 Oct

@JudyEv I was on a roller coaster (reluctantly) with my cousin at Niagara Falls and as soon as we started to move she screamed which I thought was a bit premature, but her wig had come loose in the wind and she grabbed it just in time. She was only about 40 but had severe alopecia hence the wig. Much embarrassment, but at least the wig didn’t escape.

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@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

24 Oct

@xFiacre I don't think I have any wig stories, thank goodness.

@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

24 Oct

Wigs come off way too easily for my liking.

2 people like this

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@Deepizzaguy (122336)

• Lake Charles, Louisiana

24 Oct

This is the first time I have about male humpback dolphins wearing sea sponges before.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

24 Oct

I hadn't heard about it before either.

2 people like this

@Deepizzaguy (122336)

• Lake Charles, Louisiana

24 Oct

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@snowy22315 (209177)

• United States

24 Oct

"Do you like my wig ladies?" "Isn't it an appealing shade of green!"

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@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

24 Oct

It seems quite funny really.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (502812)

• Italy

24 Oct

Dolphins are so intelligent, I cannot believe what they are doing to attract mates and to protect themselves while hunting.

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@LadyDuck (502812)

• Italy

24 Oct

@JudyEv Both male and female dolphins are cute and smart.

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@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

24 Oct

The males are wearing the wigs but I think it's the females that are protecting themselves.

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@rakski (156781)

• Philippines

24 Oct

that's cute, they use wigs to attracts mates

3 people like this

@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

24 Oct

Yes. Fancy the dolphins coming up with that idea.

1 person likes this

@noni1959 (13067)

• United States

24 Oct

Your photo is amazing. They are so smart! It made me smile they wear them on their heads to attract a mate.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

24 Oct

You just have to wonder about how they think!

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@GardenGerty (169585)

• United States

24 Oct

Great view. Animals are smart and will use tools and such for their own purpose.

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@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

26 Oct

They are much smarter than they're given credit for, i think.

@AmbiePam (121147)

• United States

25 Oct

I love the photo! And I am liking the ingenuity of these animals!

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@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

26 Oct

We would often see the dolphins in the canals. They don't give you much time to take a photo though.

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@ptrikha_2 (49775)

• India

25 Oct

This is quite remarkable. So animals have their own ways of managing day to day things and in a kind of intellect which we might not comprehend easily. Now, well, I would need to search more about Busselton!

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@ptrikha_2 (49775)

• India

27 Oct

@JudyEv Good to hear. We went for walk during night. It was cool but winters would set in perhaps in the next 10 days or so.

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@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

26 Oct

Busselton is a very popular tourist place. The houses on the canals are very pricey.

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@jstory07 (148771)

• Roseburg, Oregon

24 Oct

That shows they will do anything to get a female.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

24 Oct

Yes, it does. I wonder which one came up with the idea first. lol

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@wolfgirl569 (136008)

• Marion, Ohio

24 Oct

They are very smart animals

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@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

26 Oct

They are indeed.

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@RasmaSandra (98129)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

24 Oct

Now that is amusing and something I certainly would like to see. Found this online take a look

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-24/humpback-dolphins-wear-wigs-of-sea-foam-to-attract-mate/105918014

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-24/humpback-dolphins-wear-wigs-of-sea-foam-to-attract-mate/105918014

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@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

26 Oct

Thanks for the link. I did read that article at the time. I'm afraid I just had to laugh at the 'hat'. lol

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@porwest (112929)

• United States

24 Oct

I guess at the end of the day, even in the animal kingdom, a male will do whatever is necessary to get laid.

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@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

26 Oct

Yes, they come up with new pick-up lines/actions all the time! lol

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@porwest (112929)

• United States

26 Oct

@JudyEv You know it. lol

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Nevena Zivkovic

@Nevena83 (66063)

• Serbia

24 Oct

I love dolphins, but I've never seen them live. I believe they look fascinating.

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@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

26 Oct

They would come into the canals on most days so we were really lucky in that respect.

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@LindaOHio (222806)

• United States

24 Oct

Animals are so much more clever than we would ever suspect.

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@JudyEv (382566)

• Rockingham, Australia

24 Oct

They are indeed. We just need to be able to understand them a bit better.

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