It is no secret that the dolphin is one of the smartest animals on planet Earth. Just how smart is smart? This has been debated by scientist for a long time, with some very interesting results.
Various ways of measuring intellegence have been formulated over the years. One of the most common is the encephalization quotient, in which a ratio of brain size to body size is cosidered, and a larger ratio seems to indicate higher intillegence. This method has produced the following results, in percents: chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), 0.70 %; bottle-nosed dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), 1.17 %; human (Homo sapiens), 2.10 %.
Perhaps the most accurate way to determine intelligence is by studying behavior. They show an amazing tendency to mimic both sound and motion. In fact, they are the only animals to do so besides humans.
But perhaps the most studied behavior is language. The age-old myth of "talking" dolphins prevails because we want it to. But is it reasonable? A study done by Dr. Javis Bastian shows that it might be. In it, he took two dolphins, named Doris and Buzz, and taught them to respond differently to a light when it lit up and when it blinked. If the light was constant they pushed a right switch. It the light blinked on and off, they pushed a left switch. After they had mastered that, the trick was made more and more complicated, until the dolphins were separated by a barrier that they could hear but not see through. Only Doris could see the light, but Buzz would still have to respond correctly. The experiment worked, and Buzz got it right over 50 % of the time.
This shows us that dolphins can understand abstract ideas, such as right and left, and communicate them. But what about more complex ideas? Only time will tell.
However, it should be noted at this point that the question of dolphin intelligence is almost moot. The definition of "intelligence" (from the Encarta World English Dictionary) is: "the ability to learn facts and skills and apply them." Using this definition, we see that dolphins are, at least, intelligent enough to survive in a world that is quite hard to do so in. Isn't that enough?
For more about dolphin intelligence, visit the SNAFU's article on dolphin intelligence.
