I get asked how smart are dolphins a lot the better question is how are dolphins
the better question is how are dolphins
the better question is how are dolphins smart one thing we’re interested in is
smart one thing we’re interested in is
smart one thing we’re interested in is how do dolphins make sense of their
how do dolphins make sense of their
how do dolphins make sense of their world how do they perceive their world
world how do they perceive their world
world how do they perceive their world how do they conceptualize their world
how do they conceptualize their world
how do they conceptualize their world how do they represent their world how do
how do they represent their world how do
how do they represent their world how do they communicate with one another and
they communicate with one another and
they communicate with one another and that’s what we’re trying to look at in
that’s what we’re trying to look at in
that’s what we’re trying to look at in terms of cognition we’re giving them
terms of cognition we’re giving them
terms of cognition we’re giving them tests which we think reflect cognitive
tests which we think reflect cognitive
tests which we think reflect cognitive abilities like for example one the
abilities like for example one the
abilities like for example one the projects on the dolphins Plus in Key
projects on the dolphins Plus in Key
projects on the dolphins Plus in Key Largo was where the dolphin had to
Largo was where the dolphin had to
Largo was where the dolphin had to cooperate to open a device to get fish
cooperate to open a device to get fish
cooperate to open a device to get fish we know that they do cooperate but can
we know that they do cooperate but can
we know that they do cooperate but can they cooperate to solve a novel task
they cooperate to solve a novel task
they cooperate to solve a novel task these animals are not accustomed to
these animals are not accustomed to
these animals are not accustomed to pulling ropes these animals are not
pulling ropes these animals are not
pulling ropes these animals are not accustomed to actually opening their
accustomed to actually opening their
accustomed to actually opening their mouths on you know things in training
mouths on you know things in training
mouths on you know things in training sessions how can we test this so we’ve
sessions how can we test this so we’ve
sessions how can we test this so we’ve come up with a lot of cognitive tasks
come up with a lot of cognitive tasks
come up with a lot of cognitive tasks we’re trying to pair a behavior that
we’re trying to pair a behavior that
we’re trying to pair a behavior that they already know with a symbol on the
they already know with a symbol on the
they already know with a symbol on the board we want to get a little bit more
board we want to get a little bit more
board we want to get a little bit more insight into each Dolphins cognitive
insight into each Dolphins cognitive
insight into each Dolphins cognitive process and seeing do they do the
process and seeing do they do the
process and seeing do they do the behavior that they learned first do they
behavior that they learned first do they
behavior that they learned first do they do the compatible behaviors the
do the compatible behaviors the
do the compatible behaviors the incompatible behavior one at a time do
incompatible behavior one at a time do
incompatible behavior one at a time do they go left to right right to left you
they go left to right right to left you
they go left to right right to left you know just just looking at the way we
know just just looking at the way we
know just just looking at the way we read tells us so much about our
read tells us so much about our
read tells us so much about our cognitive process so that’s kind of the
cognitive process so that’s kind of the
cognitive process so that’s kind of the basis of the of the study self
basis of the of the study self
basis of the of the study self recognition behavior is often put into a
recognition behavior is often put into a
recognition behavior is often put into a broad category our populations here at
broad category our populations here at
broad category our populations here at dolphins + and dolphin Cove – have not
dolphins + and dolphin Cove – have not
dolphins + and dolphin Cove – have not been exposed to a mirror at all and what
been exposed to a mirror at all and what
been exposed to a mirror at all and what we found is that we started to see
we found is that we started to see
we found is that we started to see changes in their vocalizations well a
changes in their vocalizations well a
changes in their vocalizations well a lot of the times the mothers would stop
lot of the times the mothers would stop
lot of the times the mothers would stop in front of the mirror different squeaks
in front of the mirror different squeaks
in front of the mirror different squeaks and squawks and jaw pops even where the
and squawks and jaw pops even where the
and squawks and jaw pops even where the juveniles tend to be more social with
juveniles tend to be more social with
juveniles tend to be more social with you know approach the mirror with other
you know approach the mirror with other
you know approach the mirror with other individuals typical behaviors in front
individuals typical behaviors in front
individuals typical behaviors in front of the mirror may not be self
of the mirror may not be self
of the mirror may not be self recognition it may be why does this
recognition it may be why does this
recognition it may be why does this dolphin look so
dolphin look so
dolphin look so the smear why is it not talking back to
the smear why is it not talking back to
the smear why is it not talking back to me why is it why is it just mimicking
me why is it why is it just mimicking
me why is it why is it just mimicking what I’m doing self recognition behavior
what I’m doing self recognition behavior
what I’m doing self recognition behavior I think the study needs to continue on a
I think the study needs to continue on a
I think the study needs to continue on a little bit more for us to be definitive
little bit more for us to be definitive
little bit more for us to be definitive about yes this is exactly what we’re
about yes this is exactly what we’re
about yes this is exactly what we’re seeing in my opinion I think we’re just
seeing in my opinion I think we’re just
seeing in my opinion I think we’re just scratching the surface we know more
scratching the surface we know more
scratching the surface we know more about the moon than we do about our
about the moon than we do about our
about the moon than we do about our oceans let alone our species in the
oceans let alone our species in the
oceans let alone our species in the ocean I believe strongly that in order
ocean I believe strongly that in order
ocean I believe strongly that in order to understand dolphins need to study
to understand dolphins need to study
to understand dolphins need to study wild populations and we need to study
wild populations and we need to study
wild populations and we need to study animals that are in captivity so the
animals that are in captivity so the
animals that are in captivity so the advantages of working with wild dolphins
advantages of working with wild dolphins
advantages of working with wild dolphins is you have a great variety of
is you have a great variety of
is you have a great variety of individuals and natural context of
individuals and natural context of
individuals and natural context of behaviors just fishing and fighting or
behaviors just fishing and fighting or
behaviors just fishing and fighting or whatever that are normally there’s no
whatever that are normally there’s no
whatever that are normally there’s no human disturbance except us in the water
human disturbance except us in the water
human disturbance except us in the water potentially the wild dolphin project is
potentially the wild dolphin project is
potentially the wild dolphin project is a long-term project I started in 1985
a long-term project I started in 1985
a long-term project I started in 1985 the goal of the project is really to
the goal of the project is really to
the goal of the project is really to track long-term the life of a group of
track long-term the life of a group of
track long-term the life of a group of wild dolphins specifically our aim is to
wild dolphins specifically our aim is to
wild dolphins specifically our aim is to really look at the communication system
really look at the communication system
really look at the communication system of these wild dolphins and figure out
of these wild dolphins and figure out
of these wild dolphins and figure out how they communicate in acoustics and
how they communicate in acoustics and
how they communicate in acoustics and body language and how complex their
body language and how complex their
body language and how complex their society is we’ve got about 40 types of
society is we’ve got about 40 types of
society is we’ve got about 40 types of vocalizations so there’s different kinds
vocalizations so there’s different kinds
vocalizations so there’s different kinds of whistles there’s different kind of
of whistles there’s different kind of
of whistles there’s different kind of click trains which is their sonar or
click trains which is their sonar or
click trains which is their sonar or their echolocation and then we have
their echolocation and then we have
their echolocation and then we have burst pulse sounds they’re actually a
burst pulse sounds they’re actually a
burst pulse sounds they’re actually a very frequently heard type of social
very frequently heard type of social
very frequently heard type of social sound so we would categorize those types
sound so we would categorize those types
sound so we would categorize those types of sounds based on different acoustic
of sounds based on different acoustic
of sounds based on different acoustic parameters and then correlate it this
parameters and then correlate it this
parameters and then correlate it this this one has different measurements as I
this one has different measurements as I
this one has different measurements as I look at the data so I might say okay
look at the data so I might say okay
look at the data so I might say okay that’s walk type see all the studies
that’s walk type see all the studies
that’s walk type see all the studies we’ve done in captivity everything tells
we’ve done in captivity everything tells
we’ve done in captivity everything tells us that these guys have big brains and
us that these guys have big brains and
us that these guys have big brains and that they can problem solve and
that they can problem solve and
that they can problem solve and understand artificial languages and and
understand artificial languages and and
understand artificial languages and and think in abstract terms that how do they
think in abstract terms that how do they
think in abstract terms that how do they apply those skills in the wild I think
apply those skills in the wild I think
apply those skills in the wild I think one of the most surprising things to me
one of the most surprising things to me
one of the most surprising things to me after working in awhile for almost 30
after working in awhile for almost 30
after working in awhile for almost 30 years is that the individuals are so
years is that the individuals are so
years is that the individuals are so distinct you know we tend to think of a
distinct you know we tend to think of a
distinct you know we tend to think of a dolphin
dolphin
dolphin as a dolphin as a dolphin and they’re
as a dolphin as a dolphin and they’re
as a dolphin as a dolphin and they’re not individuals can be bold it can be
not individuals can be bold it can be
not individuals can be bold it can be shy they can be the networkers and a big
shy they can be the networkers and a big
shy they can be the networkers and a big group or they can be peripheral animals
group or they can be peripheral animals
group or they can be peripheral animals and so you know when we lose dolphins or
and so you know when we lose dolphins or
and so you know when we lose dolphins or we lose even a small group of dolphins
we lose even a small group of dolphins
we lose even a small group of dolphins it can really matter but it’s something
it can really matter but it’s something
it can really matter but it’s something we did to sort of switch our brains
we did to sort of switch our brains
we did to sort of switch our brains around a little bit
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