I was reading this very interesting phenomenon found in dolphins and thought of sharing with you .

Dolphins have names for each other and call for each other just like humans, say scientists. They use specific signature whistles for family members and social companions - the only animal species apart from ourselves known to do this.

According to Sea Mammal Research Unit, dolphins live in this three-dimensional environment, offshore without any kind of landmarks and they need to stay together as a group. These animals live in an environment where they need a very efficient system to stay in touch. It had been-long suspected that dolphins use distinctive whistles in much the same way that humans use names.

To investigate, researchers recorded a group of wild bottlenose dolphins, capturing each animal's signature sound, after which they played these calls back using underwater speakers.  Monitoring responses from a small boat , the dolphins reacted to their own signature whistles by sounding their whistle back  but did not respond to others. So it is believed that dolphins use signature whistles as labels to address or contact individuals of the same species they meet at sea.

Dolphin whistles - high-pitched clicking and squeaking sounds - can be detected up to 20 km away (12.4 miles) depending on water depth and frequency.

The researchers said naming is one of the defining features of human language and dolphins have their own unique identity - the signature whistle.

It's interesting to find another mammal like humans with complex intelligence and social structure communicating in this way. Even our closest relatives the great apes can't do this.

People see dolphins in crystal clear waters in TV documentaries and don't realise they spend 80 percent of their time in murky oceans with little light. They can't use smell to locate partners or relatives and they are not territorial - the open ocean is their home. So they have developed this sophisticated sound system to keep in touch otherwise they could get lost from each other for good.

 Interesting -Isn't it ???

 

 

 

 

 

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