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STORY: Why are grey whales interacting

with humans on boats?

Some scientists think the

whales are seeking assistance

to remove parasites attached to their bodies

(Jeroen Hoekendijk, Marine biologist)

"I think it's important to realize that these parasites are very tiny and the whales are covered head to toe. The parasites are everywhere, so you need to pick up a lot of these tiny parasites before you will make a significant effect. But what we do see very often is that these whales scratch the boats that are there, and then I really think they're trying to get rid of these parasites. So these parasites and the whales have a symbiotic relationship. So the whale lice and the small parasites mostly occur around sloughing skin or like wounds, these kinds of things. And they take care of the skin and any potential harmful creatures that are there, but they are also attached to the whale, and that can, they sort of have a sticky end that penetrates the skin, and that can be annoying to a whale."