Dolphins form life raft to help dying friend

[Sagan]

Everybody's favourite cetacean just got a little more lovable. For the first time, dolphins have been spotted teaming up to try to rescue an injured group member. The act does not necessarily mean dolphins are selfless or can empathise with the pain of their kin, however.

Kyum Park of the Cetacean Research Institute in Ulsan, South Korea, and colleagues were surveying cetaceans in the Sea of Japan in June 2008. They spent a day following a group of about 400 long-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus capensis).

In the late morning they noticed that about 12 dolphins were swimming very close together. One female was in difficulties: it was wriggling and tipping from side to side, sometimes turning upside-down. Its pectoral flippers seemed to be paralysed.

Life raft

The other dolphins crowded around it, often diving beneath it and supporting it from below. After about 30 minutes, the dolphins formed into an impromptu raft: they swam side by side with the injured female on their backs. By keeping the injured female above water, they may have helped it to breathe, avoiding drowning.

more with video

http://www.newscientist.com/article/...ng-friend.html

[Ironman]

There was also a story recently where a dolphin had fishing line wrapped around his fin. He had tried rubbing up against a boat to free himself, but it didn't work.
Believe it or not, he swam to a scuba diver underwater who eventually saw that fishing line. The dolphin knew that this man was helping him and actually tried to hold still so the line could be cut. He would even return to the diver after having to go up and get air himself. Once free, the dolphin swam around as if to thank him and swam away. It was caught on video, too. Interesting stuff.

[Sagan]

I read that story and saw the video. What marvelous creatures, the dolphins are

[onawheel]

tease, I wanna see that video!

[Ironman]

tease, I wanna see that video!

By now, it is probably on YouTube.

[onawheel]

By now, it is probably on YouTube.

you're going to make me run a search arn't you.... -___-

[Sagan]

[onawheel]

I wanted to see the diver story video, if there was one.. I still haven't googled it.. ok I shall try to now

found it! yeah it was awesome!

[Anteros]

Both videos are just amazing!

[shelbster18]

That is such a sweet video. =]

That last bit in the article about dolphins "interacting with corpses of dead dolphins" means that they're mourning is very interesting.

There was also a story recently where a dolphin had fishing line wrapped around his fin. He had tried rubbing up against a boat to free himself, but it didn't work.
Believe it or not, he swam to a scuba diver underwater who eventually saw that fishing line. The dolphin knew that this man was helping him and actually tried to hold still so the line could be cut. He would even return to the diver after having to go up and get air himself. Once free, the dolphin swam around as if to thank him and swam away. It was caught on video, too. Interesting stuff.

Man, that's adorable. :'D

[shelbster18]

I wanted to see the diver story video, if there was one.. I still haven't googled it.. ok I shall try to now

found it! yeah it was awesome!

Wow, that is amazing. I heard dolphins were the most intelligent animals. I just find it so cute how the dolphin new that he was trying to help it. :>

[Koalafan]

Man, we're so lucky dolphins dont have thumbs or cant walk up right or we would be the ones swimming in tanks at sea world lol