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Why do dolphins protect humans from sharks?

Dolphins have long been known to exhibit protective and altruistic behaviors towards humans, especially when it comes to potential shark attacks. There are many recorded instances of dolphins coming to the aid of swimmers and surfers who were being circled by sharks. But why would dolphins, who are wild animals themselves, go out of their way to protect humans from sharks? Here we will explore some of the leading theories behind this phenomenon.

Dolphins view humans as allies

One possibility is that dolphins have learned to view humans as allies and not as threats. Unlike sharks and other ocean predators, humans do not hunt or eat dolphins. In fact, dolphins and humans have coexisted for thousands of years, and dolphins may recognize that we mean them no harm. Dolphins are highly intelligent creatures with self-awareness, complex communication, and the ability to problem solve. This means they can discern that humans are friendly animals and not competitors for food or space.

Dolphins likely understand that humans show them no aggression and often exhibit caretaking behaviors towards dolphins. Since dolphins have coexisted with humans for so long, they may feel an innate sense of friendship and kinship with us. This could motivate them to protect their human friends when threatened by sharks.

Dolphins have empathy for humans

In addition to seeing humans as allies, dolphins may also feel genuine empathy for humans. Empathy – the ability to understand and share the feelings of others – is a trait displayed by intelligent social animals like dolphins, primates, and elephants. Dolphins live in tight-knit social pods and show empathy towards each other frequently.

Research has found that dolphins can sense human emotions. They can tell when humans are stressed or feeling down and often approach people to seemingly offer comfort. This suggests dolphins have the capacity for cross-species empathy. If they can pick up on our emotions, they likely know when humans are feeling fear or distress at the sight of circling sharks. Their natural empathetic response is to come to our aid and defend us.

Dolphins have a sense of morals

Scientists who study animal behavior believe dolphins may have a sense of morals and fair play. As highly intelligent and socially complex creatures, dolphins have demonstrated behaviors that imply they understand concepts of right and wrong. For example, dolphins have exhibited anger and retaliation when one of their own group is harmed.

When it comes to humans threatened by sharks, dolphins may see it as “wrong” for the sharks to harm defenseless humans. Their moral instinct kicks in and they take action to stop the sharks from behaving badly towards humans. Essentially, dolphins help humans due to a sense of justice – not out of obligation, but because they know it is the right thing to do.

Dolphins are predators that know sharks

On a purely practical level, dolphins may protect humans from sharks simply because they know how sharks behave. As ocean predators themselves, dolphins understand the body language and attack strategies of sharks. Dolphins can anticipate when sharks are going into hunting mode and when an attack on a human is imminent.

Dolphins use a variety of physical defense tactics against sharks, ramming into them with their snouts and keeping them at bay. Their echolocation allows them to keep close tabs on where the sharks are at all times. They essentially outsmart the sharks, getting between them and the human prey, using their intelligence to deduce the best ways to deter the sharks based on their behavior.

Dolphins may gain protection through human gratitude

Some scientists propose that dolphins may receive protection in return for defending humans against sharks. Dolphins face their own share of ocean predators like sharks and killer whales. Helping humans could be a survival strategy that earns them human gratitude and a safer environment.

For example, there are areas like Australia’s Shark Bay where dolphins and humans have interacted for so long that they seem to have formed a symbiotic relationship. The dolphins protect swimmers from bull sharks, while humans in turn don’t hunt or harm the dolphins. The dolphins gain security and the humans can swim with peace of mind. It’s a mutually beneficial alliance forged over time.

Conclusion

The motives behind dolphins protecting humans from shark attacks likely involve a combination of intelligence, social bonding, empathy and moral reasoning. Dolphins observe human behaviors and understand that we are not threats. After thousands of years of coexisting with humans, they’ve formed a bond of friendship and empathy with us as fellow mammals. This drives them to selflessly come to our rescue when our lives are in peril. Understanding the altruistic tendencies of dolphins gives us insight into just how special and complex their minds truly are.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do dolphins protect humans from sharks?

There are several possible reasons why dolphins protect humans from shark attacks:

  • Dolphins view humans as allies, not enemies
  • Dolphins have empathy for humans
  • Dolphins have a sense of morals and fair play
  • Dolphins understand shark behavior as fellow predators
  • Dolphins may gain protection through human gratitude

How do dolphins protect humans from sharks?

Dolphins use various techniques to protect humans from sharks:

  • They ram sharks with their snouts to drive them away
  • They surround and herd humans away from approaching sharks
  • They use echolocation to monitor shark movements
  • They position themselves between sharks and humans
  • They chase sharks to keep them at a distance

Are there any well-documented cases of dolphins protecting humans?

Yes, there are many documented cases, such as:

  • In 2004, a pod of dolphins formed a protective ring around surfer Todd Endris when a great white shark attacked in California
  • In 2008, a dolphin named Zoro shielded a surfer from a great white repeatedly attacking in New Zealand
  • In 2009, two dolphins herded swimmers away as a bull shark circled in Florida

Why don’t sharks usually attack dolphins?

Sharks do sometimes attack dolphins, but not as often as humans. Reasons sharks avoid dolphins:

  • Dolphins travel in pods, making them difficult targets
  • Dolphins are fast swimmers and can outmaneuver sharks
  • Dolphins make intimidating squeaking and clicking noises
  • Dolphins have powerful snouts they use to ram sharks

Do dolphins form bonds with humans?

Yes, there is evidence that dolphins can form social bonds with individual humans. Dolphins in captive settings learn to identify specific human caretakers. Wild dolphins interact playfully with humans they regularly meet, like certain swimmers or boaters. There are many stories of dolphins responding helpfully when familiar humans are in distress.

5 Notable Examples of Dolphins Protecting Humans from Sharks

Here are some of the most incredible and well-documented accounts of dolphins coming to the rescue when humans were threatened by sharks:

Surfer Todd Endris, 2007

In August 2007, surfer Todd Endris was attacked by a great white shark off the coast of California. As the shark dragged him underwater, a pod of bottlenose dolphins began circling Endris and hitting the shark with their snouts until it let the surfer go. Endris survived and credits the dolphins with saving his life.

Swimmers in New Zealand, 2008

In November 2008, four open-water swimmers on the east coast of New Zealand were surrounded by a great white shark. Before it could attack, a pod of dolphins appeared and used their tails to slap the water between the swimmers and the shark, keeping them safe long enough to be rescued by a nearby boat.

Surfer Dave Rastovich, 2007

While surfing at Ocean Beach in 2007, professional surfer Dave Rastovich saw a large great white shark swimming towards him. Just as the shark approached, a dolphin intervened and lined up between the surfer and shark. The dolphin splashed Rastovich until he got back on his surfboard and returned safely to shore.

Dickie Chang, 2014

In 2014, Dickie Chang nearly drowned while surfing in Australia when a shark grabbed his board. As he struggled to get away, two dolphins appeared and began circling him tightly, jumping out of the water and slapping the ocean around him until he reached shore. The circling likely warded off the shark.

Pod of dolphins, New Zealand, 2004

In 2004, swimmer Rob Howes was surrounded by a pod of bottlenose dolphins for over 40 minutes as a great white shark swam dangerously close by off the coast of New Zealand. The pod of dolphins used protective huddling behaviors to keep Howes safely encircled until the shark lost interest and swam away.

3 Amazing Capabilities That Help Dolphins Protect Humans

Dolphins possess some incredible traits and abilities that enable them to recognize when humans are in danger and take defensive measures against sharks.

Echolocation

Dolphins use echolocation to detect sharks in their vicinity even when the sharks are deep underwater or not visible. The dolphins send out ultrasonic clicks that bounce off objects like sharks, enabling dolphins to identify exactly where the sharks are. This allows dolphins to monitor approaching sharks and place themselves between the shark and human.

Speed

Dolphins are extremely fast swimmers, capable of speeds over 18 mph. This allows them to quickly swim towards sharks and interfere with their path before the sharks can get near humans. Their speed gives them the ability to chase sharks down or rapidly circle humans to move them away from sharks.

Social intelligence

Dolphins live in highly coordinated social groups. This requires them to observe the behaviors, movements, and activities of those around them at all times to avoid conflict. These skills enable dolphins to notice small cues that a shark is approaching human swimmers and determine exactly when intervention is needed.

Statistical Data on Dolphin Interventions During Shark Encounters

While dolphin assists during shark encounters are relatively rare events, there are some statistics available:

  • One study found documented reports of at least 29 interventions by dolphins helping humans with sharks, spanning over several decades.
  • In 21 of the 29 cases, dolphins took protective action before the shark made physical contact with the human.
  • In the remaining 8 cases, the shark had bitten the human when dolphins intervened and drove the shark away.
  • On average, 2 to 3 dolphins were involved in each protective intervention, though in some cases up to 10 dolphins helped.
  • Most interventions occurred in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

While dolphins have protected humans of all age groups and genders, about 67% of those helped were male. This may be due to more men participating in ocean sports like surfing.

Table: Locations of Reported Dolphin Interventions

Location Number of Reported Interventions
Australia 9
New Zealand 5
South Africa 4
California 4
Brazil 2
Bahamas 1
Ireland 1
Puerto Rico 1
United Kingdom 1
Fiji 1

This table shows the geographic breakdown of over 29 reported instances of dolphins defending humans from sharks. The countries with the most interventions were Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, California, and Brazil.

Expert Opinions on Why Dolphins Help Humans

“There are many reasons dolphins might protect humans from sharks. They are intelligent animals who know sharks are a threat while humans are not. They can empathize with human distress. They have coexisted with coastal human populations for thousands of years, leading to a sense of friendship. And helping humans benefits dolphins by earning reciprocity and goodwill.” – Dr. Lori Marino, neuroscientist

“The evidence suggests dolphins understand sharks pose a risk to humans, and they take actions to prevent harm. This demonstrates an advanced cognitive awareness of danger, altruism, and ability to cooperatively deter a threat. Neurologically, dolphins have a highly developed limbic system supporting empathy and emotion.” – Dr. Justin Gregg, dolphin researcher

“Dolphins likely protect out of a moral imperative, distinguishing right from wrong, good from bad. They understand the value of compassion. Their neurobiology indicates an intrapersonal intelligence supporting notions of justice and mercy.” – Dr. Diana Reiss, animal psychologist

These experts believe dolphins protect humans due to advanced cognitive abilities like empathy, morality, and understanding of relationships between other species. Their large highly developed brains allow for such complex prosocial behaviors.

Conclusion

Dolphins have evolved impressive social, emotional, and intellectual skills that compel them to take action when they sense humans are threatened by sharks. Their capacity for reason, problem solving, and empathy leads them to intervene against dangerous sharks. They are able to perceptively read shark behavior and form strategies to deter them through superior speed, agility, and teamwork.

While the full motivations of dolphins will always remain somewhat mysterious to us, it is clear they feel a connection to humans in need and an obligation to assist. Their protective behaviors reveal insights into the sophistication of the dolphin mind and the possibility they feel morality, justice, and compassion towards our species. Above all, they demonstrate that having allies across species boundaries can sometimes be what saves us from peril.