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gradient · Jan 28, 2013, 07:34 PM

Amazing footage. It still amazes me, not that it probably should, how much intelligence we keep stumbling onto out in the rest of the natural world.

Dolphins form self-made 'raft' to try and save dying friend | CTV News

A big

for trying to help a friend in need.

FireWire · Jan 28, 2013, 08:39 PM

Probably the smartest creatures alive! Here's a video of a dolphin approaching divers so one of them can help him get a fishing line untangled from its fin! Actualit� > En vid�o : un dauphin bless� demande de l�aide aux plongeurs !

I read a similar story where a few dolphins approached a boat, signaled that they wanted to be followed and lead the boat to a dolphin stranded in a fishing net!

Shaddim · Jan 28, 2013, 10:58 PM

One particular pod of dolphins would swim near my great uncle's fishing boat almost every day (he was a commercial fisherman in the Fla Keys) and he'd throw them scraps and extra pieces of bait. The whole time he'd talk to them and they would "talk" back. Well, one day while working on something in the water, which is ~30' deep at the docks, he started having a severe muscle spasm (turned out it was a mild stroke). He was able to reach a rope and keep his head above water, but couldn't get out. At that point my uncle tried calling for help, but couldn't get anyone's attention, however some of those dolphins were nearby. Immediately the dolphins started clamoring and breaching, creating a scene, and some people walked over to see what was going on. In no time those guys were able to get him out of the water and went and called for an ambulance. It's very possible that the pod saved his life, and from then on he had a real affection for them (and threw in a lot more fish).

gradient · Jan 29, 2013, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by FireWire

Probably the smartest creatures alive! Here's a video of a dolphin approaching divers so one of them can help him get a fishing line untangled from its fin! Actualit� > En vid�o : un dauphin bless� demande de l�aide aux plongeurs !

I read a similar story where a few dolphins approached a boat, signaled that they wanted to be followed and lead the boat to a dolphin stranded in a fishing net!

That's remarkable. Great that the diver realized what was going on and was able to help. I'm sure he'll remember that for a looooong time.

gradient · Jan 29, 2013, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by Shaddim

One particular pod of dolphins would swim near my great uncle's fishing boat almost every day (he was a commercial fisherman in the Fla Keys) and he'd throw them scraps and extra pieces of bait. The whole time he'd talk to them and they would "talk" back. Well, one day while working on something in the water, which is ~30' deep at the docks, he started having a severe muscle spasm (turned out it was a mild stroke). He was able to reach a rope and keep his head above water, but couldn't get out. At that point my uncle tried calling for help, but couldn't get anyone's attention, however some of those dolphins were nearby. Immediately the dolphins started clamoring and breaching, creating a scene, and some people walked over to see what was going on. In no time those guys were able to get him out of the water and went and called for an ambulance. It's very possible that the pod saved his life, and from then on he had a real affection for them (and threw in a lot more fish).

No kidding. THAT is an amazing story.

The Final Dakar · Jan 29, 2013, 03:09 PM

We can already sign with apes, I really would like to see us pursue trying to communicate with dolphins.

CentralParkMac · Jan 29, 2013, 03:10 PM

For the past century, or so a group of dolphins off the coast of Laguna, Brazil have had a working relationship with local fisherman. Really interesting stuff! I've never seen this kind of inter species communication before. I'm really curious how this originally began. Here's a link a found really quickly - Dolphins help fishermen to catch fish - Technology & science - Science - LiveScience | NBC News

But if you're really interested, check out YouTube... I believe the video series title is something like 'the intelligence of dolphins' (three part series). Cool stuff!

jmiddel · Jan 30, 2013, 01:49 AM

The evidence is finally strong that otther animals also have both smarts and pretty much the same emotional reactions as the human beast!

Doc HM · Feb 7, 2013, 04:35 PM

The fact that despite al the study of dolphin and whale communication we have effectively zero idea what they are saying is pretty strong evidence that if we ever discover a signal from another world we would have no chance at all of ever deciphering it. In fact my guess is we wouldn't even recognise it as a signal at all.

ps Dolphins (like bow ties) are cool. If somewhat thuggish

el chupacabra · Feb 10, 2013, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by gradient

It still amazes me, not that it probably should, how much intelligence we keep stumbling onto out in the rest of the natural world.

Speaking of intelligent animals this horse was on a news site today

Houdini Horse | Watch the video - Yahoo! Screen

Dork. · Feb 10, 2013, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar

We can already sign with apes, I really would like to see us pursue trying to communicate with dolphins.

We already know what they would say.

Originally Posted by dolphins

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

gradient · Feb 11, 2013, 06:13 AM

More like...

Originally Posted by dolphins

So long, and thanks for killing all the fish. Jerks.