People have frequently spotted whales and dolphins together in the ocean. But are they actually playing together, or is it more of a one-sided relationship?
Do whales and dolphins play together?
While it’s common for people to see whales and dolphins interacting, scientists have done few studies on this behavior. When you see the animals together, you can’t help but wonder: Do both animals want to socialize, is one trying to avoid the other, or are they being aggressive toward each other? Scientists from Griffith University in Australia said on August 12, 2025, that they’ve analyzed interactions between 19 species of baleen whales and dolphins in 17 locations around the world. And, according to their study, one-quarter of these interactions are mutual. So what happens in the rest of the cases? And which species are the most social and playful?
The scientists published their peer-reviewed study in the journal Discover Animals on August 12, 2025.
Dolphins initiate the interactions
In the scientific community, it is widely acknowledged that dolphins are sociable, playful and curious, and that baleen whales are not only friendly but also have excellent communication skills. DXolphins are usually the ones who initiate interactions with the peaceful whales. But sometimes they can be a bit too playful. According to the study’s lead author, Olaf Meynecke of Griffith University:
We were particularly interested in documenting the whales’ reactions and responses toward the dolphins, as commonly dolphins are described to harass and annoy the whales.
