Category: The Dolphin Pod

This week’s special video podcast turns the spotlight on the Dolphin Communication Project’s research with the Atlantic spotted dolphins near Bimini island in the Bahamas.

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NOTE: This article originally appeared as an episode of The Dolphin Pod.
Do dolphins have a language? This is a fantastically interesting question, and one that researchers at the Dolphin Communication Project are asked on a regular basis. The answer can be a bit confusing unless we are all on the same page with respect to what we actually mean when we use the word ‘language’.

This week’s special video podcast features an interview with Darcie Blanding; research associate with the Dolphin Communication Project.

This week’s video podcast showcases the underwater cinematography of Terramar Productions’ John Anderson. This video montage is taken from ‘Dolphins: The Lighter Side’; a DVD produced by John featuring spectacular footage of diverse dolphin species from around the world. John has worked in conjunction with The Dolphin Communication Project on a variety of projects, and has also worked on major Hollywood productions including Master and Commander, and the IMAX film Dolphins. If you enjoy this video podcast, why not consider supporting DCP’s research efforts by purchasing a full length DVD of ‘Dolphins: The Lighter Side’.

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If you’ve been following the news lately, you might have seen a little story about elephants that can recognize themselves in mirrors. This is a rather major discovery for animal scientists – elephants now join dolphins as the only animals other than the great apes and humans that can recognize themselves in mirrors. Many scientists use the mirror self-recognition experiment as a test of an animal’s capacity for self-awareness – a trait often linked with cognitive complexity and intelligence.
The mirror self-recognition test was pioneered by Gordon G. Gallup, Jr.

This week’s special video podcast, produced by John Anderson, features an interview with Kelly Melilo: research associate with the Dolphin Communication Project.

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Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay Australia have been observed using sponges as tools for foraging. Learn more about dolphin tool use in this week’s episode.
In 1969, Neil Armstrong was the first human being to set foot on the moon, marking a major milestone in technological advancement. And, as we all know, he took a giant leap for mankind. This was an important and perhaps much needed victory for humanity; as just 9 years earlier, mankind suffered a major setback at the hands of David Greybeard.

This week’s special video podcast, produced by John Anderson, features an interview with the director of the Dolphin Communication Project; Kathleen Dudzinski.

This special video podcast, created in 2003, highlights the research being conducted by the Dolphin Communication Project (DCP) with the bottlenose dolphins at the Roatan Institute of Marine Sciences (RIMS). DCP collaborates with RIMS to conduct behavioral and sound observations on 17 bottlenose dolphins, ranging in age from a few months to ~30 years old, residing at Anthony’s Key Resort.

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As you may be aware, dolphins are able to use a special kind of sonar called echolocation or biosonar. In fact, all toothed cetaceans, that is – all of the whales, dolphins and porpoises that have teeth – are able to echolocate. Echolocation is the primary sense for most of these species; more important even than vision. And, if you think about it, that makes a lot of sense. You don’t have to dive very deep in the ocean until light levels all but disappear.