Ethology

Ethology is the scientific and objective study of animal behavior, and is a sub-topic of zoology. The focus of ethology is on animal behavior under natural conditions, as opposed to behaviorism, which focuses on behavioral response studies in a laboratory setting.

Because ethology is focused on behavior in the natural conditions of the animal, more emotions tend to be viewed than those in the lab and captivity.

 

Dolphins, for example, after being studied and observed, have been known to show such emotions such as sadness, fear, distress, anger, interest and happiness which would all be primary emotions.

However, dolphins have also been known to show higher levels of intelligence to the point where they can possibly comprehend and even contemplate situations.

If they can understand a situation and then progressively think about that situation, who is to say that dolphins can't express emotions such as love, grief, guilt, shame, and embarrassment?

 

In general, it is easy to conclude that dolphins are sentient beings, meaning they have the ability to feel, perceive, be conscious, have subjective views, have meaningful experiences, and value their life.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rynvewVe21Y  

This is a video of a cat making friends with dolphins. Friendship and companionship takes some thought, and possibly some love towards one another!



 

Another reason dolphins are believed to experience emotions is because emotions make you a more social creature and social creatures form bonds. Dolphins form bonds with other dolphins (pods) and other species, including humans, everyday. Dolphins also partake in activities that bring them joy and pleasure, such as playing!

 



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMCf7SNUb-Q

 

Here is a link to watch dolphins playing with bubble rings that they themselves make, and you can tell by watching that this isn't just a mindless habit...it is a beautiful game.

 

Dolphins are also considered incredible beings just due to their incredible level of intelligence.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2o7WCCrbTw

This video demonstrates the dolphin's ability to imitate another dolphin while being blindfolded. Dolphins are actually one of very few animals that will imitate an action.

Another interesting thing about dolphins is that they have the ability to look in a mirror and recognize themselves. After they recognize themselves, they frequently take trips to the mirror to have a look at themselves and when marked on, they turn the mark towards the mirror and question it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgJl4bONOqc

 



The last point I am going to present in this section is the dolphin's ability to create.

Yes...create.

Whether or not animals can be creative is a topic being studied everywhere by ethologists and behaviorists alike. The link below is a MUST WATCH that proves that dolphins do indeed have the ability to create!

If you fast forward to 20:00 you will reach the dolphin section and the entire section is neat.
However, for the specific section I am talking about, when the dolphins actually create a trick on their own, fast forward to 24:45.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_3s4V9FLVA

Resources:
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/do-dolphins-mourn-their-dead

 



Current Social Perceptions

This post will discuss how people currently perceive dolphins in today's society.

The first aspect I would like to talk about is the most obvious when people think of dolphins; dolphins in captivity for entertainment.

People always picture dolphins doing tricks and dancing around in shows made exclusively for human entertainment. You will find such dolphins in marine mammal parks, dolphinariums, zoos, aquariums, etc.

 

Here's a link to a great SeaWorld dolphin show if you would like to watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok4HppU9BoE

 

The dolphins, coming from a salt water life, are typically captured from their homes in the wild, and then brought to their new homes in chlorinated pools.

Dolphins are quite adaptable to this new life because they like performing, food rewards, people, and they respond well to being trained. Their high level of response to training is  directly correlated to their high levels of intelligence.

 

Another area in which society would come into contact with dolphins is in the military. Yes, how cool right? The military actually takes dolphins, trains them in various beneficial ways, and uses them as part of their elite team when fighting wars or during training exercises.

 

 

 These mammals were used by the military because the military needed more efficient and accurate ways of searching for and detecting objects underwater, such as mines and submarines.

The military also used them to research their abilities to swim incredibly fast and dive so deep in hopes of generating combat machines, like submarines, speed boats and torpedo's, with these capabilities as well.

These dolphins are also used to deliver equipment to divers under water to pick up equipment that a diver may have left under water, and to detect enemy swimmers and tag them with a marker before warning the troops that an enemy was in range.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy_IwblcVOA

^^^Military Dolphins^^^

 







 



 Dolphins used in research are probably the least thought of social perception of human and dolphin interactions, but it is actually very common.

 



 

Researchers study dolphin echolocation mechanisms, imitation ability, cognitive ability, reproduction, object permanence, number concepts, the social development in calves, echocardiography of pregnant dolphins, and much more!
A lot of researchers simply just study dolphin life, how they become a pod, how they obtain resources, how they communicate, whether their populations are thriving or decreasing, etc.

A few other sources of dolphin and human contact is through dolphin swim facilities where people may go to learn about dolphins or just to swim with them. Some have swimming courses where you can bring your children, and some have therapy sessions swimming with dolphins!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFWyoIkRA6I

 

The last area of social encounters between humans and dolphins that I will mention is through media.

Plenty of dolphins have participated in movies like Flipper, A Dolphin's Tale and technically Free Willy, where they play characters in the movie. Dolphins have been showcased in movies made about dolphins , such as The Cove, and they have also appeared in a television series that involves dolphins.

 

Resources:

 

https://www.dolphins.org/research_spotlight

 

http://thebdri.com/education/courses.html

 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/whales/etc/navycron.html

 

http://www.dolphinsplus.com/dolphin-swim-programs/dolphin-therapy/

Social History of the Dolphin

Cavemen drawings and very ancient pottery and fountains prove that dolphins were doted upon well beyond our time.

Dolphins were often called upon in ancient mythology stories as well. They were seen pictured with Greek Gods and Goddesses.

Sailors also shared that if dolphins were swimming alongside your ship, to stay set in that course because dolphins would always lead you into fair weather and calm seas.

Some of the most notable interactions between people and dolphins was when humans started capturing dolphins to keep in captivity for entertainment, research, or other reasons beneficial to humans like military trainees. The first recording of a captive dolphin was in 1883 in Europe. These will be further discussed in my next post about how humans perceive these animals in today's world.

Resources:
http://www.dolphins-world.com/

Species Identification

The species I have chosen to examine over the course of the next few months is the dolphin. Dolphins are incredible animals!












Their current classification in society would be as an exotic animal.