Female dolphins remember who is aggressive when choosing a mating partner, research shows

The researchers collected 34 signature whistles from male dolphins and played them underwater to 17 female dolphins, using drones to observe their responses. Photograph: Stephanie King

Female dolphins identify males by their unique calls and keep track of their past behaviour, choosing to avoid the most aggressive males during mating season, new research suggests.

Bottlenose dolphin society is complex, and male and female dolphins often know each other for decades, said Prof Stephanie King, an expert in animal behaviour at the University of Bristol.