Wild Animal Behaviors That Might Surprise You

One of the best parts of spending time around wildlife is realizing how much is happening beneath the surface. A mobula ray launching itself into the air might look playful. A pile of rhino dung might look unimportant. But these behaviors can play a role in how animals hunt, communicate, protect themselves, and raise their young.

Across our ocean and safari expeditions, we have the chance to observe animals in their natural environments. Sightings are never guaranteed, but these are some of the fascinating behaviors we may be lucky enough to witness.

1. Mobula rays leap completely out of the water

During our Baja expeditions, we often see mobula rays gathering in large groups. Sometimes, they launch themselves out of the water before landing with a loud slap.

It is an incredible sight, but scientists still aren't entirely sure why they do this. Some believe it's a way to communicate, remove parasites, or simply part of their social behavior. Whatever the reason, it's one of the most spectacular wildlife displays you'll ever witness.

2. Orcas work together to hunt

Orcas are highly social animals that often live and travel in family groups. They are also skilled cooperative hunters.

Depending on where they live and what they eat, orcas may work together to herd fish, separate an animal from its group, or take turns during a hunt. Some hunting techniques are passed between generations, which means different orca populations can have their own traditions.

This is part of what makes encountering orcas in Norway so interesting. You are not only watching an individual animal. You may be watching an entire family communicate and make decisions together.

3. Humpback whale calves drink milk underwater

A newborn humpback whale has a lot of growing to do before making its first long migration. For its first months of life, it depends on its mother’s milk.

Nursing underwater is very different from nursing on land. The calf positions itself close to the mother while she releases thick, nutrient-rich milk into its mouth. The high fat content helps the calf gain weight and develop the blubber it will need for colder waters.

Meanwhile, the mother relies heavily on the energy stored in her own blubber. Humpbacks generally do not feed while in their tropical breeding and calving areas, so a mother must support both herself and her growing calf until they return to richer feeding grounds.

Watching a mother rest while her calf swims nearby is one of the most memorable encounters we can have during our French Polynesia expeditions.

4. Sharks can sense what we cannot

Sharks do not rely on one sense when searching for food. They combine smell, sight, sound, and their ability to detect movement in the water.

They also have a sense humans do not have: electroreception. Small pores around a shark’s snout, called the ampullae of Lorenzini, allow it to detect the weak electrical fields produced by other living animals. This can help a shark locate prey, even when it is hidden or visibility is limited.

The lateral line running along a shark’s body also picks up vibrations and movement in the surrounding water. Together, these senses make sharks remarkably aware of what is happening around them.

5. Lions are unusually social cats

Most wild cats live and hunt alone. Lions are different.

They live in social groups called prides, which commonly include related females, their young, and a coalition of males. Pride members rest together, care for cubs, defend territory, and sometimes cooperate while hunting.

Hunting as a group can help lions pursue prey that would be difficult for one lion to handle alone. But every hunt is different, and cooperation does not mean every lion performs the same role each time. Pride groups can also split into smaller groups and come back together later.

Watching a pride together gives us a closer look at how lions communicate, care for their young, and maintain strong social bonds.

6. Dolphins call each other by “name”

Bottlenose dolphins develop a unique signature whistle that identifies them to other dolphins. They use these whistles to stay connected, especially when members of the group become separated.

Dolphins can also copy another dolphin’s signature whistle to get that specific individual’s attention. It works a little like calling someone by name.

So when we hear dolphins whistling underwater, they may be communicating directly with one another.

7. Elephants communicate across long distances

Elephants trumpet, rumble, roar, and make several other vocalizations. Some of their rumbles contain frequencies so low that humans cannot hear them.

These low-frequency calls can travel long distances, allowing elephants to coordinate movement, locate one another, and stay connected even when they are out of sight. Research has also shown that female African elephants can recognize calls from family and other familiar social groups from considerable distances.

Wildlife encounters become even more interesting when we understand what the animals may be doing and why.

A dolphin is not simply whistling. An orca pod is not simply swimming in the same direction. An elephant standing quietly may be listening to calls we cannot even hear. Each behavior is part of a much larger story about communication, family, cooperation, and survival.

The longer we observe, the more wildlife begins to reveal.