Dolphins are one of the most intelligent representatives of the animal world. Like humans, they belong to the class of mammals, and we even have similarities in our genetic code. Dolphins have already demonstrated their intelligence to scientists many times – for example, they definitely know how to use tools like twigs for hunting and playing. Marine mammals are also capable of teaching their relatives new skills, communicating using sounds and gestures, sharing food with those in need, and much more. Since ancient times, people have noticed that while sailing on ships, groups of dolphins sometimes gather at the bow of a moving ship. Scientists still cannot come to a consensus why sea creatures behave this way, but there are several interesting assumptions. We'll talk about them now.
Dolphins often accompany ships while sailing, and scientists cannot understand why exactly they do this
How dolphins behave
Scientists believe that dolphins began swimming at the bows of ships from the very moment they appeared. For example, this is mentioned in some ancient Greek documents. In those days, boats were propelled by real rowers, but even with the help of oars they could accelerate ships to a speed of 17.5 kilometers per hour. Dolphins only cluster at the bows of fast ships because they are attracted to the waves they create.
The fact that dolphins often accompany ships has been known since ancient times
The dolphin family includes about 40 species of marine mammals. The most common species that swim in front of ships are bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), also known as bottlenose dolphins.
Bottlenose dolphin. Photo source: ohotniki.ru
In one study, scientists observed their behavior for several years. Between 2003 and 2006 they encountered 200 groups of dolphins, and 44 of them swam in front of the ships. Many groups of marine mammals did not do this, so scientists concluded that they were only interested in certain types of vessel, engine power and other characteristics. In addition, the activity of dolphins can be influenced by their location.
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Why do dolphins swim with ships
So why do dolphins love to accompany ships? Scientists have several assumptions on this matter.
The first version says that dolphins can swim with human boats in order to save time and effort. Perhaps the waves propagating at the bows of ships become something like a tailwind for marine mammals. Waves can help dolphins travel long distances faster without expending much energy.
Perhaps ships help dolphins cover long distances faster
According to the second version, dolphins swim near ships because they can easily eat there. Marine mammals mainly eat fish, so they can easily find food near fishing vessels.
Also, some scientists are inclined to believe that when swimming in front of ships, dolphins are simply playing. In addition to playing on the waves, smart mammals can play catch, jump into the air, create bubbles and even hide. With the help of games, dolphins simply have fun and have fun; there is no great purpose behind these fun. The ability to have fun is another factor that makes dolphins similar to people. They even have sex not only for procreation, but also for pleasure.
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How smart are dolphins
Whatever the reason for dolphins swimming in front of ships, this is further evidence of them developed intelligence. People have known about this for a long time, so they have even tried to use them in the military sphere to detect underwater mines and destroy enemy boats.
Dolphins are one of the smartest animals on Earth, and this has been proven many times
It wasn’t just the US military that trained dolphins , but also the army of the USSR and Russia. If this fact interests you, be sure to read our article “How marine animals are used for military purposes.”
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There are also cases where dolphins saved drowning people from death – they helped them get to the shore or other safe place. There is also an article on our website that states that marine mammals have sometimes saved people from shark attacks. For example, one of these lucky ones was Martin Richard, who encountered a shark while swimming in the waters of the Red Sea. He lost three liters of blood from five powerful bites of the predator, but the end of the story was happy thanks to a group of dolphins.