Australia's Smart Dolphins

Psalm 104:27

These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

It was once thought that only man used tools. However, scientists have learned that some monkeys and even some birds use tools. Now we can add dolphins to the growing list of tool-users.

Researchers studying dolphins in Australias Shark Bay noticed that some dolphins were swimming around with sponges on their beaks. After some observation, both on the surface and beneath the water, scientists discovered what the dolphins were doing. Holding the sponges in their mouths, they would sweep the sea bottom sand, flushing out fish. Then they dropped the sponge and ate what they had flushed out. When they were finished eating, they retrieved their sponge and repeated the process. Researchers found that about 10 percent of the females obtained their food using sponges as tools. For some unknown reason, very few of the males used this method. Furthermore, most of the females using this method were related to two maternal tool-using dolphins. Researchers debate whether these two taught their descendants this method of obtaining fish or whether the behavior is based in genetics.

Since this is not a widespread behavior among dolphins, it seems likely that it is a learned behavior probably taught to younger relatives by the maternal dolphins. After all, dolphins are known to be very intelligent, and intelligence is a gift from their Creator.

Prayer: I thank You, Lord, that You have given Your creatures an Earth and the ability to make a living on it. Amen.

References: Science News Online, 12/10/08, www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/39219, Bruce Bower, Dolphins Wield Tools of the Sea.

Bottlenose Dolphin breaching in the bow wave of a boat.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Animalia
• Phylum
• Chordata
• Class
• Mammalia
• Order
• Cetacea
• Family
• Delphinidae
• Genus
• Tursiops
• Austraila

[PaleoSteno]

@BereanBeacon1 Evolution is a theory that is supported by a variety of evidence. A theory is the highest possible status that something like evolution can have in science. Facts are boring things like 'water boils at 100 degrees celcius.' Theories actually explain things, like atomic theory and the theory of relativity, and the big bang theory, or even gravity. Gravity is just a theory after all, why don't you go jump off a cliff if you have so little confidence in scientific research?

[CMafia66]

I have never seen a religious program confirm evolutuion before, welcome to reality, Why do people say God did this? Why can't people ask What did this instead of Who did this?

[FutureScience2012]

Fuck yo god nigga fuck yo god

[4Locke4]

Wtf is this "Creation Moments" BS. I came here to see dolphins, not listen to some intelligent design nutjob.

[BereanBeacon1]

@PaleoSteno Stay with facts and we will be in agreement. Evolution is not a fact and is a "myth" as well.

[PaleoSteno]

@BereanBeacon1 No, natural processes explainable by science did. Fact is stranger than fiction, and reality is always much more amazing than myth.

[BereanBeacon1]

@PaleoSteno OK, then science fiction did it!

[PaleoSteno]

So... these 'creation moments' are basically stating,

"This is so amazing... GOD MUST HAVE DONE IT!"

Uh... no...

[BereanBeacon1]

@CMafia66 All we want to do is question the processes of evolution and are not allowed to in America's educational system. We want real science, not the science fiction of evolution.

[ffeiawjion]

@marzto I think evolution could very well be an included function of God's great algorithm of the universe. If there is a creator, evolution was one of the (direct or indirect) creations. They aren't mutually exclusive, although, you're right. If they are using this as evidence against evolution, then I don't hear an argument being made.