
How intelligent are dolphins? Is their communication system really as complex as human language? And are they as friendly and peaceful as they are made out to be? The Western world has had an enduring love affair with dolphins since the early 1960s, with fanciful claims of their 'healing powers' and 'super intelligence'. Myths and pseudoscience abound on the subject. Justin Gregg weighs up the claims made about dolphin intelligence and separates scientific fact from fiction. He puts our knowledge about dolphin behaviour and intelligence into perspective, with comparisons to scientific studies of other animals, especially the crow family and great apes. He gives fascinating accounts of the challenges of testing what an animal with flippers and no facial expressions might be animal behaviour, Gregg challenges many of the widespread beliefs about dolphins, while also inspiring the reader with the remarkable abilities common to many of the less glamorized animals around us - such as chickens.
This book investigates the scientific validity of popular claims regarding dolphin intelligence, communication, and social behavior. Justin Gregg, a researcher specializing in animal cognition, utilizes current ethological data and comparative studies to dismantle common myths. By contrasting dolphin capabilities with those of other species like crows and great apes, he provides a framework for understanding animal intelligence without anthropomorphic bias.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Experts and readers frequently note that the text provides a necessary, evidence-based corrective to the romanticized public perception of dolphins. The prose is accessible to laypeople while maintaining the rigor expected of a scientific examination of animal behavior.
Page Count:
310
Publication Date:
2013-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0191636029
ISBN-13:
9780191636028
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