Surprising predictions part 4

 New study shows dolphins have the largest alliance network outside humans

A new study published in Animal Behavior shows that bottlenose dolphins have the largest alliance network outside humans, which was not expected by the researchers studying them. Scientists analyzed five years of data on dolphin alliances and found that they form large networks of friendships, similar to humans. More than 1,000 different associations between pairs of dolphins were recorded, with some dolphins having as many as six best friends at the same time, while other dolphins had no friends at all over the five-year period.

The idea behind dolphin alliances

Dolphins and other mammals that live in complex social structures, such as elephants and chimpanzees, develop alliances to protect themselves from predators. However, according to a new paper published in Proceedings of Royal Society B, a new study found that dolphin alliances are not limited to defense from predators. Researchers led by Ryan Taylor at the University of St Andrews studied more than 100 years worth of data on bottlenose dolphins off Scotland's coast, from 1907-2013. The groupings consisted of individuals who would regularly come together for mutually beneficial activities and take care of each other when needed. Male members of an alliance would support one another in aggression against other males. Females tended to form networks with their daughters, grandchildren and nieces. And members of all ages often teamed up for cooperative fishing expeditions. 

When you're looking at these networks, it becomes really clear that it's not just about who is your buddy when you're trying to avoid getting eaten, said Dr Taylor.It seems to be about much more general cooperation over time. We were able to show how they cooperate, how they share knowledge, how they can provide food or comfort - things like this - to others within the alliance network. It was quite surprising.

A male-only alliance will break up after a while because of female competition for mates, but female alliances last longer because females only mate every few years. While there are many benefits to being part of an alliance network, being left out can also have its advantages; young females without connections have access to resources that older ones may be denied if no one steps in to help them hunt or fend off sharks attacking them from below during high tide--the prime feeding time for sharks! With food hard to find, sometimes they need to take risks. In times of desperation, alliances don't seem so bad... (click read more to continue) 

Having multiple networks is beneficial as well - dolphins with wider social circles have better protection and more partners to turn to when they need help, making it less likely they'll starve. By teaming up with diverse members of their own species, different bottlenose dolphin groups are actually competing against each other -- even though it looks like cooperation on the surface. When males bring their entire alliance into one area, it means fewer males are available for other communities and therefore puts pressure on other groups' mating success. At times like these, cooperation between allied groups makes sense both strategically and mathematically -- there's strength in numbers!

The larger the group - the greater the odds

The more allies you have, the better your chances of survival. However, those who have a larger ally base (that is more spread out) have less conflicts. A new study shows that this may be why smaller alliances exist and why they might be beneficial. Those with smaller networks are capable of shifting resources to individuals in need as well as gathering social information from a broader range of sources. This research team found that groups with fewer alliances had faster turn-over rates and were better able to keep resources close by so that an individual does not need to travel great distances in order to obtain a certain resource when needed. For example, female wolves form loose networks so they can then disperse from their home territory to raise pups without leaving many resources unprotected or risking their own young starving. Large alliances typically come at a cost because there is greater competition for limited resources. But if these large alliances compete over food then they would also hunt together and take on larger prey - which leads to more food for all members of the group. In addition, if one member goes missing, it could lead to fighting among other members within the group and loss of life. So these large alliances help ensure access to food as well as provide protection from predators in case one or two members get caught off guard during hunting/gathering trips away from camp. If anything happens, the whole group will band together and come to each others' aid. Researchers speculate that smaller alliances may have a few benefits: One being when some animals venture out of the pack for periods of time in order to acquire food supplies. They can do this because the small alliance will allow them to return back safely after gathering food supplies and bring them back into the fold. Another benefit of smaller alliances is how males protect females. These males will only form protective relationships with females that are about to mate and care for offspring. For these reasons, researchers believe that both types of animal coalitions have advantages but ultimately it depends on what type of behavior the animal needs most to survive. What works best for one species might not work best for another species. What's important is understanding the purpose of these groups to begin with and realizing that no two animals use coalitions in the same way. It's just as important to look at similarities between different animal groups than compare differences between different species. We need to recognize that there is a lot we don't know about sociality and understand how context impacts behaviors before deciding which approach is the best for specific cases.

Dolphins are more advanced than us in many ways

Researchers at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, say that their findings challenge human uniqueness. The report found that bottlenose dolphins form an extremely dense and interwoven social network that allows them to co-operate with each other. It may sound a bit like just good friends hanging out together - but their relationships are more complicated than that. Dolphins engage in all sorts of complex behaviours which allow them to establish alliances for a purpose, ranging from hunting fish to looking after calves. Researchers were also surprised by how often these groups would mix and mingle between different clans - most surprisingly when they're not mating. We've always assumed that animals such as dogs or horses can recognise us as being higher up on the food chain, but it turns out we don't really know anything about animal behaviour at all. What I'm trying to say is that we should never assume too much when talking about animal behaviour because they might be even smarter than us. Even though it's hard to imagine how anyone could ever be better than us, maybe we should change our perspective so that we can move forward and help save our planet. Dolphins, who seem to be more advanced than us in many ways, deserve our attention. They make some of the strongest bonds with other creatures and engage in all sorts of complex behaviours. When this information was first revealed to me, I was surprised that there are some clans where dolphins don't mate. Yet even though this seems strange, there could be reasons why it happens. Maybe they have a specific function within their society that doesn't involve mating; maybe it's just a matter of preference; or maybe those males weren't attracted to the females around them - something we should consider before assuming things about animal behaviour based on our own feelings. Continuing my research into dolphin behaviour, I found that they sometimes interact with other species, which is something that has been documented since 1832. These interactions range from contact between different species of dolphin to contact with humans (for example male dolphins interacting sexually with female divers). Research has shown that when two dolphins meet they behave in a very formal way, with the dominant one making clicking noises while the subordinate one makes whistles. They might also show off their teeth or dorsal fins. But once again, what's interesting here is that although these gestures look aggressive, scientists claim there's no real hostility intended here and most of the time it's actually just playful behavior. In contrast, when dolphins come across a stranger, they display avoidance behaviour and swim away. On occasion, however, individuals are willing to approach the stranger. This suggests that dolphins maintain friendships across generations without needing frequent meetings. 

It's easy to forget about animal intelligence and think that we're better than everyone else because of our sense of superiority over nature. But this new research shows that if you want to understand the world you live in, you need to take another perspective and realise that even your most loyal friend may be smarter than you. In terms of evolution, humans have lived on Earth for 200 000 years whereas marine mammals have existed for 50 million years – so it shouldn't come as a surprise if there are areas where animals beat us at life! There are still many questions to answer and it's important that we continue studying animal behaviour in order to learn more about the mysteries of life.

Scientists discover amazing networks of alliances

We already know that dolphins are some of the smartest creatures on Earth. Now, through a new study, scientists may have found out how dolphin alliances compare to ours. The team of researchers used social network analysis techniques and discovered that dolphin alliances form the largest reported animal alliance network beyond that of humans. In other words, their system is comparable to ours. What's more, they found that dolphins did not form permanent friendships with a particular individual but instead created an ever-changing suite of friends. This is another trait they share with us. The study was published in Scientific Reports on January 8th 2019; it provides fascinating insight into dolphin culture and also suggests this social structure could represent a general pattern across diverse populations. According to Dr. Stephanie King, one of the study's authors, dolphins don't necessarily stick with just one partner. They make friends as needed when someone else leaves or joins the group. They can be outgoing or introverted depending on what is needed for survival. For example, if there's a threat, like sharks, then all members will band together and create tight bonds with each other. But if there isn't any danger present, then they'll spread out again to hunt for food or avoid predators. What we find very interesting about this research, says King is that while these networks are similar to human networks in terms of size and complexity...the communities themselves seem to be much more fluid. They're always coming together and breaking apart. 

The idea that animals might have something close to human society should come as no surprise, given the many parallels between ourselves and other animals. 

In fact, studies show that dolphins actually use specific behaviors like hand gestures (sign language) to communicate with one another. Plus, they live in societies with leaders (Alpha males), families (moms stay with calves) and even traditions (like passing down hunting skills from generation to generation). 

Dolphins also exhibit great intelligence by forming complex plans when hunting cooperatively--one example being this species of dolphin at Cat Ba National Park who worked together to herd fish onto a sandbar so it would be easier for them to catch them all simultaneously. What really blew our minds is that dolphins' brains take up 2% of their body weight--that's proportionally larger than a human brain! In comparison, our brains only take up 2% of our body weight. That means there's likely still a lot we don't know about dolphin behavior because it takes years to do in-depth research like this.

We've known for centuries that dolphins have rich emotional lives, so discovering similarities between them and humans is both comforting and empowering. It reminds us of the commonalities within humanity rather than differences which too often lead to hatred and war. One of the most important things this study does is humanize dolphins and tell people that they deserve protection and respect. After all, like humans, they are intelligent, emotionally complex beings. This is a win for conservationists, who have long fought to protect dolphins. 

There are plenty of ways to help them in the wild. 

First, stop fishing with them and get out of their way when they're trying to feed or migrate. Second, leave them alone and let them enjoy their pods without harming them. Third, follow the local laws that protect dolphins in your area. Fourth, join one of the dozens of organizations around the world working hard on dolphin advocacy. Fifth, educate yourself and others on threats facing dolphins today like pollution, climate change and entanglement in fishing gear (which causes starvation or drowning). And finally, continue to advocate for this magnificent creature that is worthy of our love and protection.

Evolutionary connections with humans uncovered

Dolphins and humans share a more than 90% of their DNA. Our most recent ancestor, our closest relative on Earth, is the dolphin. The new findings point to alliances as an example of convergent evolution in which two different species develop similar abilities in different evolutionary paths. Primates like humans developed large social networks because living in small groups meant constant fighting and not enough food. Dolphins developed large social networks that rely on social cooperation, thus having access to a greater variety of food sources because dolphins were at the top of their food chain. They are known for cooperative hunting and feeding behaviors. They also take care of each other’s young, exchange sexual partners, teach one another how to find food, and cooperate in fishing expedition.  with unrelated pods. Although mammals can live in societies with complex social structures, they did not evolve these characteristics independently. Mammals had to evolve them from ancestors with simpler society structures; such as those found among fish or reptiles. For mammals, developing complex societies was advantageous because it improved survival by creating a greater number of possible ways to find food and avoid predators. Humans may be close relatives of dolphins but we still have many differences between us: Dolphins cannot walk on land, they breathe air while swimming but when they rest on the surface they need to come up for air every few minutes (unlike whales who only need air from time-to-time). They sleep underwater (in deep water) so they don't get tangled in their own tail. Dolphins do not use echolocation to navigate, they use sight instead. They don't use sound waves to 'see' what's around them like humans do. Instead, light bounces off objects and then into the eye. Echolocation works differently: sound waves bounce off objects, then return back to the animal's head and make a noise which helps them navigate through murky waters or during nighttime hours where there is little light available. 

I am fascinated by animals! When we think about animal intelligence, we often overlook marine life. It turns out dolphins might be the smartest creatures alive! My favorite dolphin fact is this: Dolphins form larger alliance networks outside humans. These networks help protect members from predators and provide opportunities for finding mates. At least four main factors contribute to dolphin population size including mating patterns, coalition patterns, predation rates, and vulnerability. Males compete fiercely over females and coalitions within the group will try to defend against aggressors. Dolphin mothers give birth once every 3 years so the gestation period is much longer than human females which is 1 year. Young dolphins are vulnerable until they reach maturity at 10 years old meaning there are fewer surviving offspring overall which causes an imbalance in population growth. If a dolphin is eaten by a predator, the social structure of the pod has changed and the balance of power shifts. Dolphins in some places are killed for meat, as well as bait in commercial fisheries. In the last 50 years, their numbers have decreased by half because of humans killing them. We need to act now to stop this trend before they are gone forever. Even though we share more than 90% of their DNA, humans have hunted and fished them to the brink of extinction. Dolphins are important to ocean ecosystems as they drive prey populations and affect the health of coral reefs. They are so intelligent! But humans are destroying their habitat and food supply by polluting the ocean with plastic, trash, and other pollutants. Dolphins need their ocean to survive. Dolphins are at the top of the food chain, which means they eat a lot of big fish and squid. That is bad for the dolphins because they are getting poisoned by mercury and other heavy metals. Scientists have discovered that many dolphin populations have been exposed to high levels of mercury because of man-made pollution in the ocean from ships and industrial activities. This exposure is causing deformities, brain damage, and even death in dolphins all over the world. Dolphins are amazing! They should be treated better by humans and given better protection so they can thrive again!

How do dolphins communicate?

Dolphins communicate to one another primarily through sound. Each pod has its own distinct set of signals which is used for specific purposes, such as forming alliances or warning about danger. It's not known how dolphins are able to distinguish between these different sounds, but it has been found that they produce a certain signal when there is a group hunting together which no other pod shares. This signal could be an identifier that enables dolphins to form alliances with each other. Scientists also believe that individual pods may use their own unique signature whistle to identify themselves to each other. The research team believes this finding can change how we understand and interact with dolphin populations in captivity and in the wild. In order to better protect and conserve dolphins, more must be done to protect them from our human activities. In addition to being unintentionally caught in fishing nets, dolphins are also threatened by marine pollution like oil spills and plastic debris. When investigating the brains of captive bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay, Florida (the location where most dolphin research takes place), researchers found that every single animal had some degree of neuropathy which can lead to symptoms like balance problems and difficulty breathing. They hypothesized that these symptoms were caused by chronic exposure to low-frequency noise from shipping vessels; even though sonar has been banned for over thirty years, vessels still emit enough noise at similar frequencies to cause health issues among dolphins living near busy shipping lanes. These findings illustrate the importance of keeping boats out of designated dolphin habitats, conserving and restoring coastal wetlands where animals can find shelter from high-energy ocean currents, and working on renewable energy sources to reduce CO2 emissions so that we're all taking steps towards reducing our carbon footprint. We've come a long way since Western countries first started capturing dolphins for show business in the early 1800s, but it's important to stay vigilant and do what we can to make sure future generations will enjoy watching these amazing creatures! 

Dolphins may use different types of physical contact to communicate with each other, including friction or rubbing. A dolphin might rub up against another dolphin’s body to establish dominance, claim mating rights or simply say hello. Another type of contact behaviour called bow riding occurs when a dolphin swims alongside other animals, such as whales and boats. Bow riding isn’t always friendly—it's sometimes seen in cases where dolphins harass large sea mammals into becoming dislodged from their resting areas—but it can also signify friendly behaviour. For example, bow riding is often observed when dolphins approach a boat for the purpose of socializing. If a dolphin is in distress and needs to escape from predators, it can also perform the dolphin roll, where it goes vertically underwater and pops back up again. Dolphins can also perform the breaching behaviour which means jumping clear of the water while spinning to display their teeth. Breaching has been suggested as a means of intimidating other animals, such as sharks. There's evidence that dolphins also have accents - just like people who speak different languages - meaning that they can communicate with each other using frequency instead of vocalizations or gestures. It's hard to tell if accents in dolphins arise because they live in groups with members who share similar traits or because groups develop distinct dialects. In the case of dialects, dolphins may develop different ways of communicating depending on where they live and with whom they spend their time. Though it's unclear how these accents are transmitted, it's possible that young dolphins learn to mimic the dialect used by older adults in their family. As a result, each pod has its own accent and new pods can be formed when two groups of dolphins meet. To date, scientists have found that there are five dialects in different regions of the world: Off Scotland's Shetland Islands, off Croatia’s Adriatic coast, off Australia’s east coast, off southern Japan and Southeast Alaska.

What else do we learn from these animals?

The bottlenose dolphin is a fascinating creature. They are highly intelligent, and form alliances with one another to cooperatively hunt for fish and evade predators. This is also a trait that we see in human societies, where cooperation can help us beat larger foes. For this reason, research on bottlenose dolphins can tell us something about how human behavior has evolved over time.

The alliance between two or more members of the same species may sometimes be categorized as an instinctive behavior such as flocking or schooling. These instincts exist because they reduce vulnerability to predation, by keeping individuals together in large numbers. Yet it turns out these behaviors are actually learned from others, which is why some animals form very different associations from others. There’s evidence that bottlenose dolphins will also adapt their social structures according to the level of risk: if predators are around, for example, then hunting cooperatively becomes a priority. In other words, there's nothing instinctive about flocking or schooling - those behaviors are learned through observation and imitation. A recent study found that bottlenose dolphins form the largest alliance networks outside of humans. They're able to do so because they possess sophisticated vocal systems - meaning they can communicate vocally and non-vocally to communicate both basic and complex information. What else do we learn from these animals? The alliance between two or more members of the same species may sometimes be categorized as an instinctive behavior such as flocking or schooling. These instincts exist because they reduce vulnerability to predation, by keeping individuals together in large numbers. Yet it turns out these behaviors are actually learned from others, which is why some animals form very different associations from others. There’s evidence that bottlenose dolphins will also adapt their social structures according to the level of risk: if predators are around, for example, then hunting cooperatively becomes a priority. In other words, there's nothing instinctive about flocking or schooling - those behaviors are learned through observation and imitation. A recent study found that bottlenose dolphins form the largest alliance networks outside of humans. They're able to do so because they possess sophisticated vocal systems - meaning they can communicate vocally and non-vocally to communicate both basic and complex information. So far, researchers know that bottlenose dolphins use various types of signals depending on the situation at hand; for instance, in situations where cooperative hunting is necessary, chirps would indicate excitement. While we may not always understand what each type of signal means when first encountered, previous studies have shown that younger animals often copy adults within their pods, thereby learning new behaviors. It seems like these animals are using sounds to say yes! I’m excited too! Let’s work together! What does this mean for our understanding of human behavior?: One interesting conclusion from all of this is that some behaviors, such as forming groups for cooperative hunting, can be passed down between generations. On the other hand, our social structures are unique and different from any other animal population studied to date. We don't always behave similarly to one another even though we're part of the same species - whether it's due to genetics or culture (e.g., the ways people grow up). We don't even think alike in all cases (for example: conservatives vs liberals), let alone share all these instincts that many other creatures seem capable of doing. These differences could simply be attributed to genetic variability among humans. But maybe it goes deeper than that. Scientists are now starting to look into how environmental factors such as living conditions and climate change might influence the way humans behave. Some argue that factors like pollution, noise levels, access to resources and poverty can lead to stress levels and health problems which, in turn, may affect our cognitive abilities and decision making skills. This could mean certain populations of humans might be more vulnerable than others (e.g., women who live in dangerous neighborhoods) but might also explain why individual people react differently when presented with the same stimulus or situation. 

And this brings us back full circle: whatever we decide about human behavior, it would ultimately affect future scientific discoveries involving these animals. For instance, if scientists were able to identify a clear cause-and-effect relationship between genetics and specific behaviors, they could investigate potential implications on other members of the pod - either by enhancing or reducing cooperation. They could also explore the effects of global changes on the oceanic environment such as global warming which may result in less prey available for cooperative hunts. But until then, all this speculation will just have to remain that: speculation.

Conclusion - how can you make use of this new knowledge?

Although some debate surrounds the application of findings to human society, this is yet another way that studies of animal behavior can inspire a better understanding of our fellow species. The study also points to one potential advantage that these animals may possess: an understanding of alliances and how to maintain them. More research could help us further understand how we can use this knowledge for our own benefit, such as by developing therapeutic strategies for human social disorders. It would be fascinating to see if other non-human primates (apes) also show similar patterns in their alliance networks. For now, scientists can only hypothesize about the various reasons behind these social connections but it will be exciting to explore them more in depth. A future study could compare dolphin social ties with those of other mammals, including both terrestrial and aquatic life. Results from previous studies on human society seem to indicate that strong social bonds are indicative of a stable, cooperative culture. Dolphins live in hierarchical societies where each individual has a rank within the group. Researchers believe that these hierarchies play into alliances between individuals and could provide insights into how individuals establish dominance or power within their group. One hypothesis suggests that higher ranking dolphins might create new alliances when they need extra support against lower ranking individuals who are challenging them for control over resources or territory. Another hypothesis posits that lower ranking individuals form alliances because they feel vulnerable to attacks from higher ranked members. Regardless of which scenario proves true, there are many possible benefits to understanding the complexity of dolphin relationships - not just for other animals but also for people too! Further analysis could shed light on different ways to reduce conflict and violence in human society. For example, studying how alliances among dolphin groups work might point to methods for reducing conflict among human groups. Individuals who do not have much influence in their own communities often look for opportunities elsewhere. They might join gangs or find extremist religious organizations that preach messages of intolerance and hate. If a person has friends and family in his or her community, then he/she would most likely stay put; however, without anyone around to offer support, he/she might search elsewhere for companionship or a sense of belonging. Scientists need to learn more about why certain people are drawn towards others who share certain values rather than staying rooted where they know others who share common interests. What does it mean when someone finds themselves attracted to these groups? Are these attractions purely coincidental? Why do people decide to associate themselves with people of similar mindsets and beliefs? Why are some individuals looking for any kind of connection at all, even if it's to violent extremism that rejects all other perspectives? These questions demand answers. Until then, we'll continue to explore the beautiful world of dolphins.