Expert Explains Why Whales Often Wear Hats Made of Seaweed

Which species of whales are known to engage in 'kelping'?

• Humpback whales

• Blue whales

• Gray whales

• Orca whales

According to the article, what are two reasons whales might play with seaweed?

• Whales play with seaweed for fun and to practice hunting skills.

• Whales use seaweed to clean their skin and to hide from predators.

• Whales interact with seaweed to communicate with other whales and to navigate.

• Whales play with seaweed to attract mates and to mark territory.

Whales find kelp by using their sense of smell and vision. What do they do with it?

• Eat it

• Use it for camouflage

• Play with it

• Ignore it

Most videos and photos of whales with kelp are of which type of whale?

• Blue whales

• Humpback whales

• Orca whales

• Gray whales

In which regions has kelp play been documented, and why is it more common there?

• Kelp play has been documented in temperate coastal regions because these areas provide the ideal conditions for kelp growth.

• Kelp play has been documented in tropical regions because these areas have warm water temperatures.

• Kelp play has been documented in polar regions because these areas have cold water temperatures.

• Kelp play has been documented in freshwater lakes because these areas have low salinity.

Drones have changed the way we study whale behavior with kelp by:

• providing aerial views for better observation

• making underwater tracking possible

• allowing for night-time studies

• enabling sound recording from a distance

What are some benefits of kelping for whales?

• Provides food

• Offers shelter

• Helps in navigation

• All of the above

True or False: Whale lice are more closely related to lice than to a small crab.

• True

• False

What behavior is reported in other marine mammals similar to 'kelping' in humpback whales?

• Surfacing

• Breaching

• Spyhopping

• Lobtailing

'Kelping' shows us that humpback whales:

• are solitary creatures

• use kelp to hunt

• engage in playful behavior

• are aggressive predators