Watch wild dolphins help fishermen—and get a reward
April 9, 2019 - According to a new study by National Geographic grantee Mauricio Cantor, there's a tight social bond among wild bottlenose dolphins that hunt fish alongside fishermen in southern Brazil. The fishermen wait for the dolphins to push the fish toward the coast while the dolphins catch the fish that break way to escape the nets. The study find these dolphins form tight social bonds with dolphins that who hunt the same way than those that hunt independently from fishermen. In fact, these helper dolphins stick together regardless of family relationships, sex, and age—even when they're not feeding.
Read "These fishermen-helping dolphins have their own culture."
Transcript
In southern Brazil, wild bottlenose dolphins hunt for fish alongside net-casting fishermen.
The fishermen wait for the dolphins to push the fish toward the coast.
And the dolphins catch the fish that break way to escape the nets.
A new study found these dolphins form tight social bonds with dolphins that who hunt the same way than those that hunt independently from fishermen.
In fact, these helper dolphins stick together regardless of family relationships, sex, and age—even when they're not feeding.