Dolphin Intelligence: How Smart are they Really?

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.