Dolphins are often considered the second or third most intelligent animals after man. Research has yielded tons of information about its life, its social structure, and its development. Their sense of echolocation has fascinated scientists, who do not hesitate to study it to apply the same mechanism to technologies that facilitate human life and help to fulfill special purposes. But is this all that we can learn from dolphins?

Of course not. These amazing, intelligent mammals have some lessons to teach humans, lessons whose application represents a benefit in the personal and social life of man, now more concerned with the achievement of his work goals and individual recognition.

Close social bonds are better than a lonely life.
Dolphins maintain very close ties with their pod companions. They are highly sociable and do not hesitate to help each other. They are even able to remember many years after they last saw each other and aid to survive those who are sick. When humans imitate this behavior, it improves their mood, reduces stress and increases their chances of survival.

Dolphins are considered the second or third most intelligent animals after man.

Empathy is good.

Dolphins understand when a dolphin or a human being are vulnerable to some danger, and that is why they are believed to have come to the rescue. They do not just leave those who need help. Would not be wonderful if people always did the same? Empathy in humans, besides, allows the understanding of different ideas, tolerance, and respect.

Teamwork is power.

Most of these cetaceans cooperate to find food, care for the young and protect each other. Humans try most of the time exclusively their well-being, but working together with others, is a good way to increase everyone’s success and improve living conditions.

Creativity is important.

Dolphins have found ways to solve some difficulties, as many tests show: they use sponges to protect themselves from rough surfaces, mimic human movements and even communicate through a varied repertoire of sounds. If they can, anyone else can and not just the researchers.

Live without damaging the environment.

This aspect is perhaps the most important since our environment is degrading as people become unaware of their implications on Earth and their responsibilities in it. Dolphins live in an aquatic environment from which they use resources for their means, but do not cause damage. They use what they need.

LEARNING APPLIED TO TECHNOLOGY

The scientific and technological areas are the ones that have benefited most from all the information acquired from dolphins. Current trends focus on the application of echolocation both in technology and in people’s daily life for impaired people and in developing methods for protecting other species. It seems that too much is known, but the truth is that much remains to be discovered and to be learned yet, that is why scientists continue studying them.

EVEN MORE LEARNING FROM DOLPHINS

While dolphin research is still in its infancy, the wealth of information that we may one day glean from these magnificent creatures is unimaginable. One lesson that we can learn from them, however, could be a key to the survival of our civilization. In today’s hectic world, the dolphin community may just offer a few lessons that we should take the time to learn.

There’s a saying in our culture that suggests “it takes a village to raise a child.” In earlier times, our society often reflected this concept. Today, however, morals and values are almost nonexistent, and technology continues to contribute to the breakdown of our families, communities and our society as a whole. Dolphins, however, are cooperative and playful. Their communities or pods persist under dangerous conditions only because of the bonds and support the members offer to one another. In the world of the dolphin, members care for and protect each other. Dolphins are creatures of socialization just as we are.

As human beings, maybe it’s time that we take a look back at how we have evolved and consider instead returning to the way of the dolphin, rather than spreading farther and farther from each other, the answer to our problems is perhaps instead, to come closer. The pod concept that protects dolphins could very well be the ideal that could protect our families and our communities.

There is, in fact, a society that is seriously contemplating the concept of pod living. The Sirius Institute, in Hawaii, has developed a model human society based on pod living. According to their website, Sirius believes that the pod prototype can help us “restore our currently fragmented society,” living in a way that provides an environment where “humans can belong to something bigger than themselves and stand out for who they are and the contributions they make,” instead of what they possess.

The Sirius Pod model allows people to interact within their homes, neighborhoods and in some cases, worlds. The children living in this environment are raised together, very similar to the way dolphins raise their young. Sirius believes that their pod models are “islands of stability” where people can come together to grow and prosper.

While the Sirius model may seem a little vague and sounds very much like the lifestyle we already think we’re living, it would be a positive thing for each and every one of us to stop and consider what the important things are and why we’ve let them fall by the wayside.

If we can learn anything from dolphins, it could just very well be that we need to refocus our attention on how we’re living our lives and why.

Dolphins continue surviving against increasing odds. The intelligence level that these animals display and their ability to interact not only with their peer but to also in harmony with others is a lesson we should all learn.

All the information we have about dolphins is thanks to the countless studies, tests, and research that some scientists have performed. In fact, new reports, papers, and conclusions come out every year that mentions the outcome of a given study that expands the understanding of the complex world of dolphins.

These mammals were known in the ancient classical civilizations and in others that had contact with the sea. Today it is assumed that they were attracted to this beautiful, docile and almost friendly animal as much as we do. The seventeenth century brought a new era of individuals interested in the life of plants and animals, and from then on began a period of more thorough research performed under an organized structure and later with the scientific methodology.

The knowledge about dolphins got during centuries was transferred hand to hand among the famous naturalists. Many species of dolphins were discovered and described for the first time during the nineteenth century, such as the Peale’s dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis), the White-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris), Hector’s dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori) and the Long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis).

According to estimations, 130 dolphins are in possession of the US Navy.

The scientists in the twentieth century discovered new species, and as they got new information, they restructured some taxonomies. With time, investigators sometimes realized that a subspecies existed not previously considered as such or that newly-known characteristics were inconsistent with the assigned taxonomic family of a species. Further research also made them aware of the intelligence potential of these cetaceans.

In this regard, the US Navy has developed leading research programs since the 1950s. The most obvious example is the Marine Mammal Research Program (1960), whose objective was to learn about the sense of echolocation and to know the morphology of these mammals thoroughly, with the intention to get the knowledge from them and apply it to technologies at the service of humans.

Dolphin research is still relevant for the Navy. To get an idea, in 2007 they spent about $ 14 million on marine mammal research that includes training activities. The number of dolphins in possession of the US Navy is estimated to be 130.

But other governmental and non-governmental organizations have carried out remarkable studies in the field and even collaborated with each other. Many research institutes have different approaches, some move from theory to action, implementing rescue or conservation programs.

OBJECTIVES OF DOLPHIN RESEARCH

Most of the research focus on the following aspects:

– Genetic data of dolphins.
– Behavior.
– Social structure.
– Brain, intelligence, and communication.
– Taxonomy.
– Discovery of new species.
– The impact of anthropogenic activities on the species.
– Preservation and conservation.

Research involves a series of studies that include practical activities, which require a highly coordinated team. It includes reviewing previous studies, analyzing findings, and even rearranging information, which sometimes leads to changes in the taxonomy of some species of dolphins.

MORE RESEARCH

Today we have a lot of information about dolphins since they are one of the most studied animals probably because their intelligence and some similar characteristics to humans make them grab the focus.

Some of the research recently published is:

US researchers led by Dr. Jason Bruck of the University of Chicago stated in 2013 that dolphins have the longest social memory of all non-human beings. They can remember individuals even after 20 years since their last interaction and in the opinion of these scientists, this is the result of the close social relations established between them.

Although it was an issue that was already suspected, researchers from the University of Saint Andrews in Scotland, brought to light in 2013 a study that proves once again that each dolphin differentiates from the others by emitting a characteristic whistle. In human words, a kind of a particular name. According to Dr. Vincent Janik, dolphins responded to their “name” during the tests when the researchers made their whistling sound through underwater speakers.

A study by the Dolphin Research Center in Grass Keys, Florida, released in 2013, reported that dolphins could solve problems in the same way humans do because they can make decisions and guess. They not only react to stimuli.

Dolphins have culture; an aspect believed to be exclusive to man. Observations concluded this when seeing bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) using marine sponges in their snout to protect it by feeding on rough surface areas. Subsequently, the researchers realized that mothers transmitted this behavior to their offspring and they learned in consequence.

The former is a great discovery because transferring knowledge among generations is probably one of the main things that made humans reach the fantastic development that we have now. Therefore, even in a basic way, demonstrating this behavior put dolphins in a whole new level.

Research is ongoing. There is still much to discover despite being activities that involve a lot of time, work, and money. However, understanding their life can generate human awareness and improve conservation efforts.

US NAVY LEADS THE WAY

Although we’ve been fascinated by dolphins for thousands of years, it wasn’t until approximately the 1940’s that research in the field of marine mammals began. While there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of research projects currently being conducted on dolphins, the largest project is the one undertaken by the U.S. Navy.

The U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Research Program started to work with dolphins in the late 1950’s to analyze their hydrodynamic properties and their biosonar. The hope was that dolphins could be trained to locate and retrieve lost objects from the ocean using their capabilities. In the early 1960’s, John Ci. Lilly and several other scientists discovered that dolphins possessed an intelligence level they believed was second only to that of man and that dolphins could learn how to complete tasks quickly and efficiently. It was at this point that the Navy launched a secret research program on dolphins.

Over the next 29 years, the U.S. Navy officially had over 240 dolphins in their research program. The types of dolphins included were Atlantic Bottlenose and Pacific white-beaked dolphins and Beluga, Killer and Pilot whales. For over four years, from 1965 to 1969, the Navy used acoustic signals to give commands to the cetaceans in exchange for fish. The Dolphins soon learned to retrieve mines even more efficiently than Navy scuba divers.

In a “top secret operation,” Six Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins were airlifted by the Navy to the Persian Gulf in 1987 where they were used to detect missiles and mines as well as for underwater surveillance. In 1988, trainers who had been working with these dolphins on the Navy project came forward with claims of abuse and carelessness of the dolphins in the Navy’s programs, but despite these allegations, the Navy Research Program continued. Since that time, the Navy has admitted that the Dolphins were also present in the Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War.

The Navy employs the Marine Mammal Productions Inc. to catch and transport the animals. They are sent to Seaco Inc. in San Diego, California for their initial training and then deployed to bases in Hawaii, San Diego, and Key West. The number of dolphins currently involved in the Navy programs is at least 130.

References

Thomas I. White. In Defense of Dolphins: The New Moral Frontier. John Wiley & Sons, 2009.

John M. Kistler. Animals in the Military: From Hannibal’s Elephants to the Dolphins of the U.S. Navy: From Hannibal’s Elephants to the Dolphins of the U.S. Navy. ABC-CLIO, 2011.

Judith Janda Presnall. In Defense of Dolphins: The New Moral Frontier. Learning Island.

FROM DAY TO NIGHT.

Most dolphins are active during the 24 hours, both day and night although they are mainly active during the morning and afternoon. Everything they do during the day depends on the conditions of their habitat, the season of the year (breeding season, mating, etc.), the time of the day and the physiological conditions of their bodies.

SLEEPING BEHAVIOR.

There was a general uncertainty about the way dolphins sleep, but after several studies, it became evident that they do sleep but not the way humans do. Since they need some degree of consciousness to reach the surface and breathe, they keep one cerebral hemisphere active while the other rests. However, dolphins in captivity have an entirely different resting behavior than wild dolphins as they keep their blowhole off the water and do not respond to light stimuli, apparently having a deeper sleep, perhaps because they are not concerned about predators in their tanks that could threaten them.

One unusual behavior is when they do a sort of “a cough,” throwing their food out.

The case of the Indus river dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor) is particular because of its habitat; the river full of dangerous materials, muddy waters and strong currents, allow this dolphin to rest only 4-60 minutes in short bursts throughout the day.

TRAVEL BEHAVIOR.

Some species move from one place to another in an almost straight direction. They can travel alone or in the company of other individuals, swimming on the surface of the water to save the energy produced by the friction of the water on the submerged body, to orient themselves better or to get rid of the parasites in their skin. If they are resting, they group tightly and surface often to breathe.

FEEDING BEHAVIOR.

The feeding activities can be carried out individually or in groups, cooperating with each other to capture larger prey and having less energy expenditure. One unusual behavior is when they do a sort of “a cough,” throwing their food out.

The dolphins of Shark Bay, Australia, have demonstrated to the astonished researchers that they have traits of a culture development, understanding this as a set of knowledge, ideas, beliefs, customs, and practices learned in a society and transmitted from generation to generation. This conclusion was the result of watching these cetaceans protecting their “snout” from rough surfaces with marine sponges, and later their offspring also did this; a behavior that was not inherited but transmitted from parents to their offspring.

LET’S PLAY!

Dolphins are very curious and enjoy playing with objects and other dolphins. They jump up to 4.9 meters above the surface of the water falling on their backs or with their belly down. They often follow the waves of the stern or the bow of boats.

They jump up to 4.9 meters above the surface of the water.

Most dolphins play chasing one another, using objects and passing them on to others for attention. They commonly make bubbles in the water and take the time to recreate themselves in the ocean. Occasionally, this playful behavior includes other species of dolphins and animals such as Risso dolphins (Grampus griseus), Pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata), pilot whales (Globicephala) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae).

Other games are only fun for them; they have been seen catching birds and submerging them several meters down, without eating them later.

THIS BEHAVIOR IS NOT NICE …

The habitat of dolphins also has a lot of dangers. If they notice something unpleasant near the pod, they quickly react swimming to the surface, exhaling, striking the water with their tail and grouping very close to each other. Any external element that disturbs dolphins has negative consequences that include stress, wounds, abnormal migrations and even less reproductive success.

Adult males swim in the perimeter of the pod territory to monitor the environment and to communicate others the presence of danger if something happens. Usually, dolphins avoid sharks or flee if they are in the proximity, but there are cases in which these cetaceans have attacked and killed sharks.

Normally, dolphins avoid sharks or flee if they are near, but if necessary, they know how to defend from them.

FRIENDLY DOLPHINS

The sociability of dolphins is evident due to their continuous association with other dolphins of the same species and occasionally interactions even with other species of cetaceans and animals in general.

If there is something for which people recognize dolphins, it is because of its charming “personality.” Docile and friendly to the human presence, they are also close with their companions. They establish strong social ties, assist wounded dolphins, cooperate to feed themselves and survive, and even voluntarily approach divers and bathers. Did you know that there are unconfirmed reports of dolphins helping humans to fish and sometimes they even offer them fish, octopus, and squid as gifts?

References

Ronald Schusterman, J. A. Thomas, F. G. Wood. Dolphin Cognition and Behavior: A Comparative Approach. Psychology Press, 2013.

Dr. Denise L. Herzing. Dolphin Diaries: My 25 Years with Spotted Dolphins in the Bahamas. St. Martin’s Press, 2011.

Karen Pryor, Kenneth S. Norris. Dolphin Societies: Discoveries and Puzzles. University of California Press, 1998.

http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/dolphinsmart/pdfs/behavior_factsheet.pdf

The intelligence of dolphins is one of their most outstanding features. Among the thousands of members that the animal kingdom has, dolphins take one of the top places regarding intelligence.

The brain is the organ involved in the ability of understanding, reasoning, learning, and other cognitive processes. The dolphin’s brain is astonishingly complex, almost comparable to that of humans. And it is large related to their body. Through magnetic resonance imaging, their brains have been found to be 4-5 times bigger than those of other animals of similar sizes.

The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is the second place in a list of species with a higher encephalization ratio (EQ), which compares the mass of the encephalon against its body size.

In addition to a developed neocortex, the cerebellum has more convolutions (turns of the brain surface) than that of other mammals. The connections between the neurological areas and the motor areas of the organ exhibit a great sensitivity to pain and a pronounced tendency to stress.

Some scientists claim that the social intelligence of these cetaceans competes with that of the great apes.

Most of their behaviors show the development of their brain and their ability to understand situations. They process information from their environment in a similar way to people, and some say that they can solve problems like humans. For example:

– Their forms of communication are complex, evolving and diverse.

– They are creative and playful animals. Their behavior is not mechanical or rigid; they seem to enjoy playing and look for the companionship of other individuals.

– Their empathy suggests that they experience emotions such as sadness or joy.

– They have an excellent learning ability; this is why they are highly requested animals for water parks, although the activities of these places are highly controversial.

– They can transmit learning to other generations of dolphins.
There have been cases where they use tools. For example, sponges to protect your snout from rough surfaces.

– The members of a pod collaborate with each other and sometimes with other species of animals.

Some scientists argue that the social intelligence of these cetaceans competes with that of the great apes because they can demonstrate empathy towards the companions and help them when they are injured or immobilized.

Signs of higher intelligence are related to self-awareness and dolphins are. Proof of this is that when they look in a mirror, they can recognize themselves and know that they are the ones in the mirror; This is a sign of the development of abstract thinking. Likewise, their learning ability is comparable to that of a 3-year-old child, according to cognitive psychologist Diana Reiss of the New York City University.

+ According to science, their ability to learn is comparable to that of a 3-year-old toddler.

INTELLIGENCE TESTS

Many other experiments on dolphins have proved their superior thinking ability compared with other animals and similar to that of humans:

– They respond positively to television, that is, show interest and curious attention to the moving images displayed on the device.

– They have been seen playing with inanimate objects that they find in their surroundings.

– They play with bubbles of water as they swim, and then take the time to observe their creations.

– They can solve complex problems and can imitate the actions of human beings. A dolphin named Tanner was blindfolded and told to imitate the actions of a trainer who was in the water. As the dolphin could not watch, emitted sounds and interpreted the sound waves to make replicas of the movements of the instructor.

The differences between human intelligence and that of dolphins are that the former need to manipulate their environment, but dolphins do not, and that is why they concentrate their intellect in other things.

There are still many questions regarding dolphin intelligence. There are still many things to discover, but what is known so far is enough to say that these animals are very, very intelligent.

ARE DOLPHINS SMART? THE ONGOING DEBATE ABOUT DOLPHIN INTELLIGENCE

Most scientists refuse to take a firm stand on the intelligence level of dolphins, and although many will admit that dolphins seem to be intelligent creatures, it is not a proven fact. The biggest problem researchers are running into seems to be the actual definition of intelligence and the way to test it in animals.

If you were to step out into the street and ask the first ten people you see whether or not they believed dolphins were creatures of intelligence, 8 of 10 would probably say yes. If you ask two scientists the same question, you just may be opening up a debate that could last for hours.

Darwin’s theory bases intelligence on the ability of a species to recognize what it needs to survive, while others believe that the size and architecture of the brain, the capacity to communicate or the ability to solve problems are the indicators.

Another reason why the research is limited is that it is complicated and expensive to do it in the wild. Dolphins in captivity may respond differently based on their surroundings and are therefore may not be representative of the wild dolphin.

While most of us outside the scientific realm recognize that dolphins are intelligent, we do not know the intricacies of the dolphin’s brain. It has two hemispheres just like the human brain. However, theirs split into four lobes instead of three. The fourth hosts all of the senses, whereas in humans, they are in different parts. Some believe that having all of the senses in one lobe allow dolphins to make quick and often complicated judgments that are well beyond the scope of human ability.

When studying the neocortex, which is the outside surface of the brain responsible for perceptions, memories, and thoughts, dolphins have more convolutions than the most intelligent humans. Even more, dolphins may be able to use the hemispheres of their brain separately as they have different blood supplies.

Some researchers think that the size and complexity of the brain at birth is a better measure of intelligence. If that statement holds up, however, once more the dolphin comes out on top. The bottlenose dolphin has a brain mass at birth that is 42.5% of the brain mass of an adult. In contrast, human babies at birth have 28% of their adult counterparts. At 18 months, the brain mass of a bottlenose dolphin is 80% of the adults, while humans don’t achieve this level until the age of three or four.

While the research certainly makes it look like the dolphin may be the closest to our level of intelligence, it may be quite some time before this can be confirmed.

References

Richard C Connor. Dolphin social intelligence: complex alliance relationships in bottlenose dolphins and a consideration of selective environments for extreme brain size evolution in mammals. 2007.

Pilleri G, Gihr M, Purves P.E, Zbinden K, Kraus C 1976 On the behaviour, bioacoustics and functional morphology of the Indus river dolphin (Platanista indi Blyth, 1859).

Stephen Leatherwood, Randall R. Reeves. The Bottlenose Dolphin. Elsevier, 2012.

news.health.ufl.edu/2012/18591/multimedia/animal-airwaves/dolphins-dig-tools/

There have been plenty of studies on intelligence of people and animals over time. What some of this research is indicating is that dolphins rank #2 – behind only humans. This information is based on MRI scans of the brain that indicate they do have a high level of self-awareness. What is also interesting is that the brain of dolphins could prove to be quite vulnerable to traumatic experiences and suffering, just like humans.

Studies that have been done to determine overall brain power put humans as #1 and dolphins as #2. New research has been able to show that dolphins do have skills and forms of awareness that were once thought to be unique to only humans. The information determined from MRI scans also shows that the brain of a dolphin is about 4 or 5 times larger than it should be based on their body size.

This information is based on comparisons to other animals that are close to the same size. One of the leading experts in the world on dolphins is Lori Mario who is a Senior lecturer at Emory University in the area of Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. She has done many MRI scans on dolphins. She also believes that using the brain to body ratio formula that dolphins would indeed by behind humans.

The findings of such studies have been presented by Marino in various capacities, including at the American Association for Advancement of Science. She does state that size is only one factor but that there is plenty of other data to support the claims about dolphin intelligence. The neocortex is the part of the brain that allows for higher levels of thinking to take place. This is also where emotional information can be expanded for dolphins.

There are studies on dolphin behavior that Marino and other experts have conducted that show these animals often can exhibit skills similar to humans. For example, being able to recognize themselves in a mirror. They are also able to identify abstract concepts, learn symbol based communication programs, and they also take part in cultural learning based on the group they belong to.

This information is why Marino doesn’t feel it is a good idea for marine parks to take part in teaching dolphins to perform or having them involved in dolphin assisted therapy. She and some other experts believe it could be harmful on a psychological level to them. They also worry it could give humans a false interpretation about the intellectual abilities of dolphins.

This information stems from the fact that when a person or an animal is highly aware of their circumstances they notice the differences between a good situation and a bad one. Negative feelings can occur for the dolphins due to them not being able to continue in a natural setting versus being in captivity.

The emotional elements of dolphins are very high, much like humans. There have been reports of dolphins becoming so upset during herding by boats that they can die of a heart attack. They can also die from exhausting due to their instinctive nature to flee from the situation. Those that are captured and then transported to captivity facilities can suffer a great deal of emotional trauma.

Diana Reiss, a Professor of at Hunter College in the area of Psychology also believes that Marino’s data and conclusions are solid. She plans on presenting similar information and to support this information about dolphins in an effort to make people more aware. Not only of their intelligence, but also of their emotional processes. 

Source: http://news.discovery.com/animals/dolphins-smarter-brain-function.html

There are many studies out there that compare the size of brains from one living thing to the next. What has been found is that the size of the brain for a human and a dolphin are almost the same. This is based on information that shows the evolution of the cetacean brain over a period of more than 47 million years!

Such studies have given experts information about the large size of the brain for toothed whales. Some of these species have abilities that have only previously been seen to exist in some of the Great Apes as well as humans. Now they have also been observed with some of the species of dolphins.

Brain of Pacific white-sided dolphin / Author: Tranletuha.

There are studies that show dolphins have the ability to recognize who they are when they see their reflection in a mirror. They are also able to communicate using symbol based programs and through concepts that are abstract in nature. Some researchers believe that the large size of their brain is what allows such intelligence to occur.

Yet what continues to be a huge mystery to the experts is the evolution of the brain over time. One of the largest fossil studies that has ever been conducted has been done by Lori Marino has several of her colleagues from Emory University in Atlanta. The study spanned 4 years looking over various collections in different museums.

The team used 66 different fossilized cetacean skulls that they found. Using CT scans, they were able to document the size of each of the brains. They were also able to document the body mass through the bones found at the base of each skull.

This study also included looking at similar data already collected on 144 cetacean skulls. This resulted in a total of 210 samples being looked at, with 62 species and 37 different families being represented in that total of samples. Find the EQ, or Encephalization Quotient, of each one was the purpose of collecting such data.

If you aren’t familiar with EQ, it is a representation of the ratio of brain to body mass. The scale works like this:

Large brain size – EQ greater than 1

Average brain size = EQ of 1

Smaller than average brain size = EQ less than 1

The largest of all creatures is humans with an EQ of 7. There have been two significant points in the evolution of cetacean that the EQ showed a significant jump. The first dates back about 35 million years ago. There were dramatic changes to the EQ as well as to changes in body size.

There are studies that indicate the development of larger brains was the result of the evolution for echolocation. This is the use of high frequency sounds that can be picked up as they echo off of various objects. Then the animals are able to interpret a variety of information from that occurrence.

It is believed the second dramatic increase in brain size occurred about 15 million years ago in the Delphinoidea super family. This includes narwhales, belugas, dolphins, and porpoises. The information from fossil records suggests that these increases were significantly more than that of humans or great apes.

The findings of this study are believed to be one of the few that have helped us to gather such information from the fossil records. Such research is time consuming but it is also very important as well as interesting. If you are interested in reading more about the research this team has done, it will be in The Anatomical Record, December issue.

Source: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20041108/dolphin.html

Dolphins Playing

Dolphins are famous among people because they are graceful and beautiful creatures. Their incredible performance while jumping in the ocean and their friendly face have made people like dolphins.

However, probably the most attractive feature that has made dolphins very appealing to humans is their intelligence which has no equal in the animal world.

Dolphins communicate through a language that includes sounds with different purposes, as humans do, as well as samples of behaviors related to pleasure, fun, teaching and social coexistence. That is why some have insisted on considering them “non-human people,” which gives them a little more “special” treatment.

Bottlenose dolphins are probably the species of dolphins more researched, and most of this investigation is oriented to measure and assess their intelligence.

Bottlenose dolphins are intelligent problem solvers, and they can solve simple tasks and perform successfully in intelligence tests. These dolphins are smart enough to use tools to get things done easier, like using sponges to avoid injuries.

The advanced communication capabilities of dolphins also denote their superior intelligence in the animal world.

Read more about Dolphin Intelligence

There is always an ongoing debate about dolphin intelligence. While most scientists agree about the problem-solving capabilities of dolphins and their advanced communication skill, they still argue about how smart are dolphins.

It is a fact that they can use tools to solve problems, very much like apes. They are also excellent communicating and learning new ways to interact as many investigations are about human-dolphin and dolphin-dolphin communication.

Dolphins can do intelligence tests, and they perform brilliantly on them, so they are problem solvers.

Even more, there is evidence that in some species they can transmit knowledge to new generations, very much like we do.

Read more about Dolphin Intelligence