Bottlenose Dolphins

According to Peter Singer, a philosopher, “Dolphins are social mammals, capable of enjoying their lives. They form close bonds with other members of their group.” We often see them as a form of entertainment, with their adorable squeaks and fun tricks at ocean parks. Yet, we do not realize their intelligence and capabilities. Many do not know about their numerous rescues on humans, animals, and fellow dolphins. Bottlenose dolphins are the best animals because they are highly intelligent, help rescue other animals/humans, and maintain the health of the ecosystem. Contrary to what many expect, dolphins are incredibly smart. Instead of having the survival skills etched into their system, according to research— they are able to learn as individuals, as well as transmit knowledge to others. For instance, Billie the dolphin was rescued from the Patawalonga lock gates near one of Australia's popular beaches in the 1980s. She was rehabilitated in Marineland (captivity), then released three weeks later into the sea. Scientists were astonished to see her tail-walking, a trick that she has observed in

Based on research done by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, recorded stories of dolphins protecting humans date back to Ancient Greece. However, there are no definite reasons as to why they do this, but we do know that they are highly social and capable of mirror-self recognition. As stated by researchers at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, self-awareness “is thought to correlate with higher forms of empathy and altruistic.” To illustrate this point, in 2007, Todd Endris was surfing, when out of nowhere a great white shark bashed him three times. The attack caused his skin to peel off his back and the shark sliced his leg open. Fortunately, a pod of bottlenose dolphins surrounded him to form a wall between him and the predator. This allowed him to safely retreat to the