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Since ancient times, dolphins
have held a special appeal for us.

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But it's only now,

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that we're beginning to uncover
the secrets of their private lives.

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They're warm blooded mammals
like ourselves

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and have a brain than
in proportion to their body

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is one of the largest in the animal kingdom.

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They have a playful nature.

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They also have a reputation
for being highly intelligent.

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But are they really that smart?

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Dolphins have colonized the world's oceans

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from the icy waters of the poles
to the warm seas of the tropics.

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Like us, they're highly social
and live in complex societies.

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They can learn complicated tasks.

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Yeah. Very good.

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They can even understand
and copy my signals.

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But are these just clever tricks
that they've been taught

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or do they actually think
about what they're doing?

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The problem of course is how
to judge dolphin intelligence.

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It's tempting to compare it
directly with our own,

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but that would be unfair, for after all

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they live in a very different environment.

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If we want to get inside a dolphin's head

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we have to try and think
like them in their world.

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Meet Phoenix”­

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Good girl.

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”­Akeakamai

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and Hiapo.

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Three bottle-nose dolphins

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that have been helping scientists
in ground breaking research.

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The Marine Mammal Laboratory here in Hawaii

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has been studying dolphin intelligence
for over 30 years

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and by setting carefully controlled tests

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they've made some remarkable discoveries.

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Okay, Aaliah.
Let's send Hiapo over, please.

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The first test is one that
few animals could tackle

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and it involves a rather
bizarre selection of objects,

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including a cross,

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a bowl and a flower pot.

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Hiapo's task is to identify which object
has been placed inside the box,

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but there's a catch: he can't look inside.

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Yes!

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That's correct. Show me the object
please, in the sample box.

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Great job. Thank you.

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Pretty impressive.

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And it wasn't just a lucky guess,

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for dolphins have an ability
that most mammals lack.

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As an adaptation to their underwater world,

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dolphins have developed
a special sense: echolocation.

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By emitting very high frequency sounds
and analyzing the echoes,

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dolphins create a mental picture.

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In effect, they see with sound.

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It's a bit like sonar used
by ships and submarines,

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but far more sophisticated than
anything that we have created.

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Yes!

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The subtleties of echolocation
are only revealed

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when we enter the dolphins' world.

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The shallow lagoons off the coast
of the Bahamas stretch for miles.

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They make an ideal feeding ground
for bottle-nose dolphins.

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In these rich seas, fish are plentiful,

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but quick to flee from danger.

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Hidden under the sand
they become invisible.

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Unless, of course, you can see with sound.

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A dolphin can send and receive sonar
clicks with breathtaking speed,

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over a thousand per second.

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The clicks are produced
in the back of the head.

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The dolphin focuses the sound
into a directional beam.

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Water transmits sound exceptionally well

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and the picture the dolphin sees in
its mind's eye is extremely detailed.

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Echolocation is a remarkable ability,

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but it's not a true mark of intelligence.

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To test for this,

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we need to examine the dolphin's
more complex thought processors.

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Ready?

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Back in Hawaii, Akeakamai
has been set for a challenge

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The scientists are trying to find out
if she can categorize objects

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Yes

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Akeakamai has to decide whether these
two objects are the same or different

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and then indicate her judgment
by touching one of two poles

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Time and again, she makes
all the correct judgment

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even with the objects
she's never seen before

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So dolphins can recognize
similarities between two objects

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Correct

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But what about the similarities
between two animals

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Akeakamai like other dolphins
is an excellent mimic.

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But is this just a simple trick
she's been trained to do?

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No, dolphins understand
the concept of imitate,

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as they can mimic an action perfectly,

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the very first time they see it.

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Perhaps what is most startling
about this performance

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is that Akeakamai has no difficulty
in relating her own body parts to Amy's.

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Accurate imitation is rare in the animal world

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and requires considerable intelligence.

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Wow. Very good.

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Imitation may be the sincerest
form of flattery,

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it's also the most efficient way

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of passing on information
within dolphin society.

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This Atlantic spotted dolphin will
stay with its mother for up to 5 years.

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Young dolphins have a lot to learn.

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First up is how to find fish.

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Understanding the difference
between a tasty flounder

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and an inedible sea cucumber
only comes with practice.

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Time for mom to take on
a more hands on approach.

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She helps her calf by guiding her
into position using her flipper

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and eventually she gets the idea.

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So dolphins use imitation
to learn from each other.

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But how deep is that understanding?

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Phoenix and Akeakamai are being
shown the sign for tandem behavior,

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doing things together.

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In this case, kiss jump,

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which they perform in perfect unison.

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Now, Phoenix has been
shown a sign for create,

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which means, make up your own behavior.

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Understanding what the word "create"
means and being creative

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are both traits rarely witnessed in animals.

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And who could predict
what a dolphin will invent?

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So what happens when you put the two
instructions together to form tandem create?

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Amazingly, Phoenix and Akeakamai display
exactly the same creative behavior every time.

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But if we watch the pair in slow motion

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it looks as though one dolphins
may be taking the lead

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and within a fraction of
a second the other copies.

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It's unclear how they decide who goes first,

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but this synchronicity
is a natural trait in all dolphins.

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In the tidal creeks of south Carolina

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bottlenose dolphins have learned to coordinate
their movements to spectacular effect

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These dolphins have developed
a hunting technique

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that is both complex and daring

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As they surge onto the mud,

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they sweep a shoal of fish before them

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which they quickly snap up
before sliding back into the water

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Every dolphin beaches on its right side

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this way, they all get a fair share of the catch

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Hunting with such precise coordination

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requires more than skill and cunning

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In this mucky waters, it also
demands excellent communication

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In Hawaii, scientists
have developed a sign language

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to communicate with the dolphins.

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Blacked out goggles are worn

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to ensure no cues are given
through eye contact.

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Yeah!

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Akeakamai will now only pay attention
to the signs Amy makes.

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She's learnt a vocabulary of over 60 words,

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including "squirt" and "person".

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Akeakamai has to understand
what each sign refers to.

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There's even a sign for Phoenix.

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Okay, you're ready?

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Here you go.

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Phoenix pipe fetch,
which in English means:

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take the pipe to Phoenix.

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Thus, Akeakamai understands that the sign
Phoenix refers to her dolphin playmate?

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This proves Akeakamai knows
the meaning of individual words,

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but does she understand that the order that
words appear in a sentence is significant?

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Right water left Frisbee fetch.

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That means:

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take the Frisbee on the left
to the jet of water on the right.

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She clearly understands
the simple instruction

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but only a slight change in word order
can alter a sentence completely.

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Left water right Frisbee fetch.

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This time she takes the right Frisbee
to the left jet of water.

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In the same way that
we know 'dog bites man'

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is very different to 'man bites dog',

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Akeakamai understands
the importance of word order.

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Few animals have been shown

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to have a comprehension of language
at such an advanced level,

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so why should dolphins?

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Most live in complex societies

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and so need to deal with group
politics and competition.

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All of this requires an exceptional
ability to communicate.

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Dolphins keep in touch with one another

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using a wide variety of clicks and whistles.

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We are only beginning to understand
what some of their words mean.

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Scientists think that dolphins
even have names for each other.

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Perhaps equally important
is their ability to communicate

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by touch and body postures.

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A dolphin mother reaffirms
her strong bond with her calf

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using gentle strokes,
as a human mother does.

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We share many traits with dolphins

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including one special characteristic.

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Humans and dolphins
are almost the only species

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who continue to play into adulthood.

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But why?

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This is Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa.

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And when the surf is up,

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it's time to prove your prowess in the waves.

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Surfers dedicate their lives
to achieving perfection in the water.

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Dolphins can do it effortlessly,

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like us, they seem to surf
purely for pleasure.

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In a similar way, they frequently
swim in front of boats,

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where they appear to get a kick out
of riding on the bow wave.

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Play is fun,

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it's also the product of
an inventive brain and a restless mind.

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Scientist think that for dolphins,

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play might have a crucial role in
strengthening social bonds within a group.

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We may not be able to ask dolphins
why they play,

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but there are some questions we can ask.

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This paddle means yes
and this one means no.

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In this experiment,
the scientists want to see

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what else the dolphins
are capable of understanding.

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Ok, Robert,

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we'll need a pipe in the basket

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Robert is going to ask some simple questions

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Akeakamai has to answer yes or no

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Okay. goggles down,

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Is there a surfboard?

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Akeakamai presses the no paddle,

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there is no surfboard in the pool

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but is there a pipe in the pool?

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The answer is yes

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Another way to refer to objects is to point

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Understanding pointing
may seem straightforward

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but it can take children up
to a year to develop the skill

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Chimpanzees are
one of the few other animals

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that may appreciate what a point means

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This time, Adam points to an object

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and then asks Phoenix to find a match
for it at the other end of the pool

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She swims straight past the bowl
and selects the correct object

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Adam is even able to
draw attention to an object

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just by gazing at it

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These are exceptionally difficult
skills for an animal to master

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even chimps would find this quite hard

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Hoop basket fetch.

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Akeakamai is now being
given a trick instruction:

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take the hoop to the basket.

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But there is no hoop in the pool.

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Dolphins aren't easily outwitted,
so what will she do?

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She brings the basket
but presses the no paddle.

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A smart answer not even
the scientists had anticipated.

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Yes. Good girl.

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This ability to identify problems
and come up with novel solutions

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has real advantages in the wild.

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Off the rugged coast of South America,

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upwellings of cold Antarctic currents
produce nutrient rich feeding grounds.

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Underwater anchovies
congregate in their thousands.

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They have been driven together
by a small group of dusky dolphins

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who patrol the edges
of this enormous shoal.

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It seems as though they're in luck,

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but with so few of them they will
be unable to contain the fish for long.

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Time to call in reinforcements.

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It's only recently that scientists
have discovered what this behavior means.

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These huge leaps
can be seen from miles away.

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Dolphins not only have excellent hearing,

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their eyesight is superb.

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And they have nearly 360 degree-vision.

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Other dolphins see these leaps

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and understand what these signals mean.

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They immediately head towards the shoal.

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As the reinforcements arrive on the scene

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they launch a coordinated attack,

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the shoal is split up,

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but the dolphins force
the remaining fish into a tight ball

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and then take it in turn to dive
into the ball and feed.

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An uninvited guest joins the feast.

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00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:58,150
This sea lion is quick to take
advantage of the dolphins' hard work,

253
00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:01,550
but he's definitely not a team player.

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00:20:08,100 --> 00:20:09,950
This unique hunting behavior

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00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:14,450
relies on dolphins understanding
what certain leaps represent.

256
00:20:14,451 --> 00:20:17,250
Perhaps in this case,
help us catch anchovies.

257
00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:21,750
But can dolphins understand
even more complex messages?

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00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:32,750
The two-dimensional image that you're
watching on your television set,

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is interpreted by your brain as being
a true representation of a person.

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Few animals can make such a mental leap,

261
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that's why they're not interested in television.

262
00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:47,950
But what about dolphins?

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00:20:48,100 --> 00:20:51,850
I'm recoding this in a studio in Britain.

264
00:20:51,900 --> 00:20:56,250
The image captured is then
going to be taken and replayed

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00:20:56,300 --> 00:21:01,050
on an underwater television set
to dolphins in Hawaii.

266
00:21:02,900 --> 00:21:05,250
To help the scientists with their research

267
00:21:05,300 --> 00:21:07,650
the pools have underwater windows,

268
00:21:07,700 --> 00:21:11,250
so the dolphins can indeed watch television.

269
00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:15,550
First of all, I've got
to get the dolphin's attention.

270
00:21:18,700 --> 00:21:21,150
I'll start-off with something simple.

271
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Blow bubbles.

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00:21:26,700 --> 00:21:27,450
Well done.

273
00:21:27,500 --> 00:21:30,050
A little encouragement never goes amiss.

274
00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:34,650
This means roll over.

275
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This means butterfly swim.

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00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:09,750
No problem there,
so time to move on to the next level.

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00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:14,650
Now, I'm going to try and
get the dolphin to imitate me.

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00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:21,650
Some scientists define intelligence

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00:22:21,700 --> 00:22:26,750
as an animal's ability to go beyond the
boundaries of its naturally occurring behaviors.

280
00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:31,650
And for a dolphin watching me on
television is definitely unnatural.

281
00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:37,350
Finally, let's try something
a little more complicated.

282
00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:41,550
This sentence means:
put the Frisbee into the basket.

283
00:22:58,300 --> 00:23:01,050
Full marks for Akeakamai.

284
00:23:01,100 --> 00:23:06,150
Of course an understanding of television
has little use for most dolphins.

285
00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:11,650
But versatility of behavior has huge
implications in the natural world.

286
00:23:13,500 --> 00:23:15,850
Off the Southern Coasts of Florida,

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00:23:15,900 --> 00:23:20,550
bottle-nose dolphins have invented their
own strategy for catching their prey.

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00:23:25,700 --> 00:23:27,750
Unlike conditions in the open ocean,

289
00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,050
the waters here are shallow and muddy.

290
00:23:30,100 --> 00:23:33,450
But the dolphins turn this
to their advantage.

291
00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,050
Under the vast expanse of still water,

292
00:23:38,100 --> 00:23:39,950
there are deeper channels,

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00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:43,750
on the edge of these,
small groups of mullet congregate.

294
00:23:46,300 --> 00:23:50,050
What you are about to see,
has only recently been discovered.

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00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:52,750
When a shoal of fish is detected,

296
00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,250
one dolphin breaks away
from the rest of the group.

297
00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,850
As it nears the prey,
the choreographed attack begins.

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00:24:02,500 --> 00:24:06,050
With its powerful tail the dolphin
kicks up the mud

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00:24:06,100 --> 00:24:08,850
and swims in a tight circle around the fish.

300
00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:11,950
As the circle nears completion,

301
00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,250
the other dolphins move into position,

302
00:24:14,300 --> 00:24:16,250
lining up on their sides.

303
00:24:17,900 --> 00:24:19,950
Trapped by a wall of mud

304
00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:23,950
the panic stricken fish
have nowhere to go, except up.

305
00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:37,750
As far as we know,

306
00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,750
this is the only place in the world
that dolphins do this.

307
00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,150
600 km further up the Florida coast,

308
00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,350
the conditions are subtly different

309
00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:57,750
the shallows here are
largely covered with seagrass

310
00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,099
So, with little mud to stir up

311
00:25:00,100 --> 00:25:04,850
the local dolphins have developed
a different strategy for catching mullet

312
00:25:08,100 --> 00:25:13,550
One dolphin swishes its tail
sending shock waves through the water

313
00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:19,250
The startled mullet panic and shoal together

314
00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:29,650
Once again, the lead dolphin
herds them into a tight circle

315
00:25:29,700 --> 00:25:33,750
and again the fish leap
towards the waiting dolphins

316
00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:38,750
This amazing ability to learn new
skills to suit different environments

317
00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:40,750
demonstrates mentally abilities

318
00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:44,950
far greater than those possessed
by most other animals

319
00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:49,050
How do the dolphins know
where the fish are going to leap?

320
00:25:49,100 --> 00:25:52,050
and is it always the same dolphin
that drives the fish?

321
00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,950
Scientists have been studying
this behavior for the last 4 years

322
00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:59,350
but they still have more
questions than answers

323
00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:01,750
We are only just beginning

324
00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:05,850
to unravel the extraordinary
capabilities of the dolphin's mind.

325
00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,850
In Hawaii, the research program is dictated

326
00:26:08,900 --> 00:26:11,450
as much by the dolphins as by the scientists.

327
00:26:11,700 --> 00:26:13,650
Both are learning from each other

328
00:26:13,700 --> 00:26:16,050
and having a lot of fun in the process.

329
00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:19,450
But perhaps, one of the most
extraordinary relationships

330
00:26:19,500 --> 00:26:21,050
between humans and dolphins

331
00:26:21,100 --> 00:26:23,150
occurs not with scientists,

332
00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:25,850
but with fishermen off the coast of Brazil.

333
00:26:29,100 --> 00:26:32,599
Nobody quite knows
when this unusual alliance began,

334
00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:36,550
but it's a tradition that has been
passed on from generation to generation

335
00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:38,750
both human and dolphin.

336
00:26:38,900 --> 00:26:41,599
Dolphins can live for half a century,

337
00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:44,950
time enough to create
strong bonds with each other

338
00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:46,850
and with the local fishermen.

339
00:26:47,100 --> 00:26:51,150
The estuary in Laguna
is a rich fishing ground.

340
00:26:51,500 --> 00:26:54,350
A group of bottle-nose dolphins
work together

341
00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:56,850
driving the fish towards the shore.

342
00:26:57,700 --> 00:27:00,350
The men wait, their nets at the ready.

343
00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:11,050
As the dolphins retreat,

344
00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:14,850
one of them performs a rolling dive.

345
00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,450
This is the signal the fishermen
have been waiting for.

346
00:27:18,451 --> 00:27:20,950
Only now will they cast their nets.

347
00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,850
In this remarkable partnership,

348
00:27:25,900 --> 00:27:28,150
the fishermen gain a rich catch

349
00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:32,150
and the dolphins collect the
frightened fish that escaped the nets.

350
00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:39,550
Success depends on a sophisticated level
of understanding between both species.

351
00:27:39,551 --> 00:27:44,750
But the entire operation is initiated
and controlled by the dolphins.

352
00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:51,350
Few animals have conquered the underwater
world as successfully as the dolphins.

353
00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:54,950
They are indeed masters
of their environment.

354
00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,550
And as we discover more
about their complex lives

355
00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:00,850
so it becomes increasingly clear

356
00:28:00,900 --> 00:28:06,350
that they do indeed deserve their
reputation for being very clever.

357
00:28:07,100 --> 00:28:32,550
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