Dolphins have been declared the world’s second most intelligent creatures after humans, with scientists suggesting they are so bright that they should be treated as “non-human persons”.
Studies into dolphin behaviour have highlighted how similar their communications are to those of humans and that they are brighter than chimpanzees. These have been backed up by anatomical research showing that dolphin brains have many key features associated with high intelligence.
The researchers argue that their work shows it is morally unacceptable to keep such intelligent animals in amusement parks or to kill them for food or by accident when fishing. Some 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises die in this way each year.
“Many dolphin brains are larger than our own and second in mass only to the human brain when corrected for body size,” said Lori Marino, a zoologist at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, who has used magnetic resonance imaging scans to map the brains of dolphin species and compare them with those of primates.
“The neuroanatomy suggests psychological continuity between humans and dolphins and has profound implications for the ethics of human-dolphin interactions,” she added.
The Sunday Times – January 3, 2010:
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“…kill them for food or by accident when fishing. Some 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises die in this way each year.”
Sarah Palin lose again, with her gun? If that many Polar Bears, bought it per year, there’d be plenty of screaming. And they’re just bears! But they do make great poster children for the Global Warming nuts. Whereas the Dolphins obviously don’t. The international fishing industry would suffer a slight loss of profits, trying NOT to kill them. So as far as anyone wealthy and powerful (ie Al Gore) is concerned. Screw the whales and dolphins.
If dolphins are so smart, why do they keep hanging around fishing boats and get caught in nets?
Anthropomorphizing by anatomy.
When it comes to Dolphins, I get in line with the mad Green-peace tree huggers. I think that killing a Dolphin should be considered a serious crime.
Leave the cute, friendly Japanese people alone! It’s not their fault they like fish and other weird, kinky, grotesque things. Seriously, we pollute, China pollutes, censors, kills, Africa does…well, they do everything bad, Europe continues to be a wuss and Japan eats fish.
If you’re not using the fish you have then what’s to stop Japan from farming them, ship them back home and enjoy a tasty, delicious and, in this case, a fish closely related to humans? China is not going to stop buying up resources everywhere. US is not going to stop being a superpower and think they are #1, despite the users here. And Europe will always continue to be a wuss for anything and everything.
To each their own I say. There is NO global anything. No global warming, no global climate changes, no global economic system, no global unity of any sort. Get real people, server yourself and you’ll live happier and longer…that is til the unexpected WWUUUHHHAAAAHHHAA
Corporations are people. Why not dolphins? Better industrial design.
Its no slight against us to call animals “nonhuman animals”. I use the term myself sometimes. Theres not a void between “people” and “animals, unless you are a creationist I guess…
“personhood” doesnt mean we will see Dolphins applying for their drivers licenses, it basically means respecting someONE (not someTHING ) as having its own mind. Recognising that someONE else has a “mind”.
#24, Dr. Dudd,
When the religious wackos start claiming their “god” is bigger than someone else “god”, you just know there is a problem.
How’s the Popsicle stand working for you?
#39-Obamaforever
It appears you have missed the not so subtle point. The question is not so much the intelligence of Dolphins, but the fact that anyone would equate them with humans.
The next illogical step is to give them rights, or if you kill one then you could be charged with murder. Something I no longer deem impossible from the crazy people we have running the show.
From: Obamaforever
To: Dr. Dodd per #41
No point was missed. The point of my post was that you are not self-aware.
What dolphins think: God was made in the image of man
What Dr. Dodd and his kind think: God made man in His image.
As you can see, Dr. Dodd, dolphins are self-aware. And you, Dr. Dodd, are as self-aware as a golf ball!!!!
I think it would be a crime to kill a dolphin because we can learn from them.
Dr. Dodd, we cannot learn anything important from you—take the hint!!!
Teach some Dolphins to drive. If they choose to drive trucks and SUVs, they’re geniuses. If they choose to drive Smartcars or ride mass transit, they’re “special”.
Scientists Proclaim: Dolphins are non-human people!
Scientists Proclaim: Dolphins are non-human, people!
Notice how the headline changes with correct punctuation.
#42-Obamaforever-we cannot learn anything important from you.
I believe you. Considering your intelligence is that of a Dolphin (I’m being kind) your limitations are fairly obvious.
At least you are self-aware.
No sense in discussing the morality of anything with humans. Each one invents it’s own. Yet every decision taken affects it’s own self-esteem and the perception it has of it’s environment and as they fabricate the story they live in, they create their own private hells from their own private fears. Poor dears!!!
Leave the stupid dolphins and polar bears alone. If they can’t adjust it’s ALL their fault. And while at it, leave your kids alone as well. Let them do what they want since they are more intelligent then dolphins and polar bears combined.
fluck you rale! – fluck you dolphin!
Alien come down and say – fluck you rich slavemaster humans (or just eat us all and make us mine cheese on their moon base.)
#48
Or the countless species that uses low frequencies to communicate. Of these insects are the most profound in their communication while the largest being elephants. It’ll be generations past our current dumb generation before we know what those animals are thinking.
I’m pretty sure they are thinking about is…
“when the fck are we going to kill these so call human beings. When are we going to stop playing nice and according to mother nature.”
Of the countless species wiped out by humans that COULD have help us with cures for many illnesses there are those that can release a small chemical a whole town would be dead. I love payback, can’t wait for animals to take us out! But that will NEVER happen because we’re first to take ourselves out, 100%.