What Scientists are Saying:
www.livescience.com has an article about dolphins and how they have developed in to animals who are smarter than us as humans think they are. Scientists believe that dolphins have become so smart they think the dolphins should be treated as "non-human persons." Researchers dispute that is it terrible to let the dolphins be accidentally fished or to kill them for food. Intelligent animals that are the smartest creatures next to humans, should not be treated as such. (So true!!)
How Smart Dolphins Are:
Dolphins are super smart creatures. They have even given themselves names. When they squeak, they are introducing themselves to others around them. Due to their limited sight, they use calls to find each other and to introduce themselves. Dolphins pick their name as an infant and keep it throughout their whole lives.(Yet another reason how smart they are and how they are like humans.) When they look in a mirror, they know it is them they are looking at. Dolphins use metacognition!( Or thinking about thinking.) Dolphins also use tools, such as sponges. They take the sponges are swim in circles to stir up the sea bottom to find prey. Cool!
What I think:
Dolphins, regardless of how they are killed, should not be killed. Such animals are too smart to be harmed.I do love the new nickname that scientists have given to the dolphins. A dolphin using metacognition is insane! I never thought in a million years that any animal other than humans could use metacognition. Over all, this article was a very cool and interesting to read. If you want to learn more about this topic, you can click on the link below.
http://www.livescience.com/animals/060508_dolphin_names.html
