The Cognitive Intelligence Of Bottlenose Dolphins Bottlenose dolphins are considered as one of the most intelligent animals on earth, even compared to humans. Many researchers have taken an interest in dolphins; studying their behaviour for years as to understand the complexity of their cognitive developments. Scientists have been conducting experimental research on a dolphins` cognitive reception, particularly the “adaptable, [and] highly sociable,” (Marino R910) bottlenose dolphins. Through extensive studies, researchers have determined that the bottlenose dolphins are one of the most intelligent due to the fact that they have a well-developed sense of emotional responses, which is an attribute of high cognitive recognition (Marino …show more content…
This type of society makes the bottlenose dolphins highly skilled at vocalizations (Janik 157). According to Vincent Janik, in the communication system of bottlenose dolphins, learning is important in understanding distinct and signature whistles. Bottlenose dolphins, a highly sociable species, “require a finely tuned communication system that allows them to keep track of individuals and their relationships” (Janik 157). To distinguish certain individuals and their kin from others, bottlenose dolphins “produce individually distinctive signature whistles that broadcast the identity of the caller” (Janik 479). These signature whistles “carry identity information” which can also be copied, to address the whistle owner. (Janik 479). The usage of signature whistles in identification by bottlenose dolphins is not limited to recognizing certain individuals. Captive bottlenose dolphins, for example, not only use these signature whistles to identify individuals; they also use it as a way of understanding relationships between concepts (Herman, Pack, and Uyeyama 139). Because captive dolphins are not necessarily accompanied by their own kin, they use signature whistles to communicate with their trainers, as well as to interpret signs (Dolphin Encounters, “How Do You Do That”). Although whistles used by trainers are different from their own, bottlenose dolphins still recognize and understand these whistles, and interpret the frequency as information for