Dolphins play name game

nature/news ^ | 8 May 2006 | Michael Hopkin

[China Clipper]

hehe

intellegence=intelligence

When will we be able to edit our OWN posts??!?!?!

[N. Theknow]

Underwater whistles give bottlenoses their own moniker.

Nautical Organization of Women will probably sue for harassment.

[Ramius]

If dolphins had hands and legs, they may very well have been the dominant species.

It's because they don't have pockets, and so they can't carry money. :-)

[angkor]

Everything points to dolphins having an astounding intelligence

At the risk of sounding like a New Age ninny (or worse), these were my first thoughts during the dolphin encounter described in #10, as I was looking these guys straight in the eye from 3.5 feet and being "pinged" and "clicked" by them nonstop:

(1) "These guys are smarter than me," and (2) "I'm in his territory now."

[S0122017]

and yet the darn things STILL seem to get caught in a stupid net by tuna fishermen.

Good point :). However it is not just intelligence but also senses. If there senses are not able to pick up nets, than it doesn't matter how smart they are as they have no "input" to "compute". And besides, humans are smart, but that doesn't prevent us from running into eachother in cars because we get distracted. Perhaps dolphins get distracted by female dolphins swimming by or something.

[China Clipper]

And besides, humans are smart, but that doesn't prevent us from running into each other in cars because we get distracted. Perhaps dolphins get distracted by female dolphins swimming by or something.

Touche'

Then perhaps what I heard about male dolphins is true!! (wicked grin)

[michigander]

(wicked grin)