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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Sofia Quaglia

Pharmacy in the sea: Dolphins ‘use coral as medicine for skin ailments’

A bottlenose dolphin rubs its belly on coral.
A bottlenose dolphin rubbing its belly on coral. The animals are prone to skin conditions, such as yeast, bacterial and viral pox infections, which seem to be exacerbated by climate change. Photograph: Cultura Creative RF/Alamy

Who doesn’t like a bath scrub? Dolphins definitely do: they are known for being clever, playful, tactile animals, and they like to rub against rough surfaces, nap in coral beds and soak on sponges like guests at an underwater spa.

However, dolphins may be getting more from their bath scrubs than just relaxation and leisure. A study published today suggests that bottlenose dolphins may be self-medicating their skin ailments with the help of corals, adding to growing research on their previously unexplored medicinal properties.

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