Dolphins are
amazing and very smart creatures. They are playful and are very sociable, which
is why they need to be in constant interaction and physical contact just like
humans. In fact, studies have proven that isolated dolphins are prone to become
ill and are more likely to become despondent. Dolphin intelligence is not
arguable at all. Most people know their impressive social interactions both
with humans and with other dolphins. Dolphins are smart, that is not a
question. But how intelligent these creatures are is another matter.
So how
intelligent are dolphins really? The most crucial part in determining dolphin
intelligence is defining ‘intelligence’. There are studies that say that
intelligence is simply one’s communication ability; while others believe it’s
about self-awareness. The most notable trait of dolphins that makes them stand
out from other creatures is their ability to understand numbers especially when
they are cohesively working in groups. Although a lot of thorough research and
studies have been conducted on dolphins kept on captive, researchers say
studies are still difficult to obtain in the wild. The usual habitats of these
creatures are so extensive that only few researches with conclusive reports
have been produced.
Features of Dolphins.
Dolphins come in
different species, but the most common ones are the bottle-nosed dolphins. These
types have a brain mass between 1,500 and 1,700 grams, a few hundred grams
higher than the brain mass of humans that range only from 1,300 to 1,400 grams.
Newborn human babies obtain 25% brain mass of that of adults. Comparatively,
newborn dolphins have a brain mass 42% or even more of the adult dolphin’s
brain. So you can just imagine how sharp a dolphin’s brain is. Moreover,
dolphins can easily transmit information quicker than in humans. This is
basically the result of the dolphin’s need to process sound fast for
echolocation.
Dolphin Intelligence Identification.
Perhaps the most
debated notable aspect of dolphins is their ability to communicate seamlessly.
Basically, dolphins emit two different types of sounds—clicks and whistles.
During their early life, dolphins develop their own distinct whistle and use
them to communicate among each other. A lot of observations in fact seem to
stress that these creatures have their own unique language in communicating one
another. One notable study that was designed for gray whales was in Scammon’s
Lagoon in San Diego. In the study, researchers placed aluminum poles around the
dolphins’ location and carefully observed how the dolphins dealt with the
barriers. It was observed that the group seemed to huddle and ‘talk’ in
whistles and clicks and one member of the group was elected to be the ‘scout’.
The ‘scout’ went near the barrier, checked and investigated, before returning
to the group. After several chirps and whistles, the group simply passed the
barrier and successfully avoided the poles.
Other Dolphin Potentials.
Apart from their
strong communication skills, another impressive ability of dolphins is their
skill on learning different variety of tricks. Dolphins can actually
understand, communicate, and respond to various human commands. In fact,
another dolphin intelligence study has proven how effectively dolphins can
demonstrate creative responses. Dolphins
are also notable for their sense of humor. Because they are very playful, they
can intelligently pull off creative pranks on other animals, something that is
of very interesting observance.
Truly, dolphins
are smart and highly intelligent. This is the reason why people from all walks
of life, young and old alike, love to watch and enjoy dolphin shows.
