Aussie dolphins use sponges for hunting
WASHINGTON, July 16: New research published in the Royal Society Open Science reveals that bottlenose dolphins in Australia have a unique technique of flushing fish from the seafloor using a sponge on their beak. This technique, passed down through generations, interferes with dolphins’ finely tuned sense of echolocation, which allows them to emit sounds and listen for echoes to navigate.
The sponges, which range from the size of a softball to a cantaloupe, are used to guide the dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia. The study found that sponge hunting is “like hunting when you’re blindfolded” and requires a high level of skill and training. Only about 5% of the dolphin population studied by the researchers in Shark Bay did it, which is about 30 dolphins total.The skill takes many years to learn and is only passed down from mother to offspring. Dolphin calves usually spend around three or four years with their mothers, observing and learning crucial life skills.
The delicate art of sponge hunting is “only ever passed down from mother to offspring,” according to co-author and Georgetown marine biologist Janet Mann. (AP)
Hundreds celebrate International Day of Yoga in Israel
JERUSALEM, July 16: Around 200 yoga enthusiasts attended the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) at the historical Jaffa Gate complex in Jerusalem on Tuesday evening.
The event, organized by the Municipality of Jerusalem, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, and the Embassy of India, aimed to highlight the ancient Indian practice’s role in inspiring a journey from personal well-being to shared harmony.
India’s Ambassador to Israel, J P Singh, emphasized the importance of yoga for the well-being of people, stating that “every day should be yoga day for the well-being of people.”Ambassador Sagi Karni, Head of Bureau for South Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel, praised the city’s unique atmosphere for spiritual practices like yoga, which aim to enhance physical well-being, invite self-reflection, inner balance, and a deeper connection to oneself and the world around us.
The session was led by Jerusalem-based yoga instructors Maayan Shenhar and Maayan Rodan, with live sitar music by Israeli musician Tavor Ben Dor. (AP)
