You’ve probably heard about the incredible intelligence dolphins possess. While dolphin watching, you can catch them socializing or riding the bow waves of boats for fun. But what is it about their behaviors that earns them the title as one of the smartest animals on the planet? The marine life experts at Dolphin Excursions Hawaii, a boat tour in Waianae, share some facts about dolphin intelligence.

How Smart Are Dolphins?

Teaching Survival

Individual learning is already a marker of intelligence, but dolphins can also communicate new information to others, including their offspring. This is a very rare trait among nonhuman animals. Whether it be teaching a new trick to obtain food from humans or showing members of their pod ways to avoid predators, dolphins have exhibited a highly versatile ability to survive.

Self-Awareness

Dolphins are one of the few animals that pass the mirror test. If you’ve ever seen your cat or dog observe themselves in the mirror, you can tell they don’t realize they’re looking at themselves. Recognizing your reflection alludes to physical awareness, so dolphins are aware of their physical being and appearance. Only eight other nonhuman species, including Asian elephants, Eurasian magpies, and all four great apes, have passed this test.

Hunting Tools

The utilization of external tools is a well-known display of intelligence. Tools, particularly in hunting, show creativity and resourcefulness. Bottlenose dolphins around the Australian Pacific, for example, have been documented using sea sponges as foraging tools. This tactic, known as sponging, involves dolphins breaking sponges from the sea floor to fit over their nose, then scouring the sand with it for hiding fish. Although dolphins are adept hunters, they continue to find ways to make tasks easier.

Complex Social Structures

While dolphin watching, you’ll see that they tend to stick together in pods, the sizes of which depend on the species. These groups work together using intricate strategies to catch their prey. Each member has a special role in the hunt. Dolphins also recognize individual members of the group and will form relationships with one another outside of blood relatives. They communicate using a series of clicks, whistles, postures, and body touches. Some species even have unique sounds to identify specific members of the group, much like a name.

Do these playful creatures remind you of any other species? You can see these stunning, intelligent animals in their natural environment with Dolphin Excursions Hawaii. For over 28 years, this tour company has provided non-invasive dolphin watching tours along the West Coast of Oahu for marine enthusiasts to observe their behaviors and antics in person. Learn more about their dolphin watching excursions online, then call (808) 239-5579 to book your tour.

*Bottlenose dolphin portrait by Cam Grant