Intelligenz und Sozialverhalten
Free living dolphin teaches tricks to conspecifics
21.08.2008 Adeleide | Sources: 20Minuten.ch/GRD - Wild dolphins that voluntarily engage in "tail walking" (gliding backwards on their tail fin) - a behavior not found in the wild - off the coast of the South Australian city of Adelaide, posed a mystery to scientists. This seems only solved.
Now the researchers found out that a female dolphin of the group, "Billie", spent three weeks in a dolphinarium in the 1980s. "Billie" had got into the lock of a marina and could not find her way back into the sea. She was brought to a dolphinarium for treatment of a disease, but without training her there. Before "Billie" was released back into the wild, her dorsal fin was marked with a "3" so that she could be easily recognized.
Obviously "Billie" has learned the "walk on the tail fin" from the dolphins living in captivity in the dolphinarium and then showed it to her wild conspecifics. Whether she wanted to show it off, or simply enjoyed the unusual movement, or whether there is some other reason why she not only memorized the trick, but also showed it to the other dolphins, will probably not be determined. The fact is, however, that several of Billie's colleagues have gotten into the habit of "tailwalking".
Scientists evaluate this behavioral development as an example of cultural behavior. If this is the case, then it can be expected that tail walking will not only spread further within "Billie's" group, but over time will also spread to other groups in the population.
-> Short film on YouTube documenting the unusual behavior
