Captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) spontaneously using water flow to manipulate objects.

ABSTRACT: Several terrestrial animals and delphinids manipulate objects in a tactile manner, using parts of their bodies, such as their mouths or hands. In this paper, we report that bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) manipulate objects not by direct bodily contact, but by spontaneous water flow. Three of four dolphins at Suma Aqualife Park performed object manipulation with food. The typical sequence of object manipulation consisted of a three step procedure. First, the dolphins released the object from the sides of their mouths while assuming a head-down posture near the floor. They then manipulated the object around their mouths and caught it. Finally, they ceased to engage in their head-down posture and started to swim. When the dolphins moved the object, they used the water current in the

SUBMITTER: Yamamoto C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4175997 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature