The mysterious beauty of the dolphin has been recognized in art and mythology since the ancient days of the seafaring Minoans. In Greek mythology, dolphins are often seen accompanying the sea god Poseidon. They served as messengers charged with bringing the god the nymph Amphitrite, who he later married. It’s said this is why, with gratitude, Poseidon placed the constellation Delphinus in the night sky. In later Greek culture, dolphins were considered rescuers. Even Arab, Byzantine, Chinese, and European sailors told tales of being rescued by dolphins at sea. These playful creatures still intrigue humans today. Given their complex intelligence, dolphins not only make up games but also communicate with a fairly sophisticated language—one that includes both vocal and visual signals. Like humans, dolphins communicate emotions, often through body language such as gentle petting of the head using the pectoral fin or an aggressive bite to the flank. Of course, dolphins can also communicate with humans, especially in an effort to catch fish. And like humans, they enjoy looking at themselves in mirrors.
Dolphin Games
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In this clip from the BBC documentary "Ocean Giants, Deep Thinkers", cognitive scientist Stan Kuczaj and a team from the Roatan Institute for Marine Science expose a group of bottlenose dolphins for the first time to a custom-made bubble machine to test their level of curiosity.