WEBVTT

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Indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins, practice of very thorough

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skin care routine which involves a lot of Coronavirus.

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These dolphins live in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt and

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rub their bodies against certain types of corals and sponges.

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Scientist. First observed. This

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rubbing Behavior about 13 years ago.

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After divers had already seen it and I totally

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At the time, scientist didn't know why the Dolphins shimmied

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against the curls in this way, but they suspected that the behavior

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might have medicinal benefits.

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Now, in a new study, these researchers have identified

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17, bioactive compounds that the Dolphins preferred corals

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and sponges produce.

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These compounds include antibacterial substances and antioxidant

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as well as hormone-like compounds.

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That might help maintain skin hydration and elasticity

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plus some of the corals produce small amounts of toxic compounds,

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that may help to kill parasites on the skin surface.

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By regularly coating their silver gray bodies in these compounds.

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The Dolphins May prevent and treat skin infection as well as generally

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maintained their skin microbiomes or the community of microorganisms

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that live on their flesh.

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These are the first officially reported observations of

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a dolphin species.

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Self-medicating in this way.