The
greatest minds of classic Greek culture, men like Aristotle, Theophrastus, Plutarch and Herodotus mentioned them in their
works. In the case of Aristotle, he spent long journeys at sea recording these fantastic animals, gathering all the information
he could find from both dolphins and fishermen.
Even
the name, dolphin, is a demonstration of how much the Greek knew of these creatures. In Ancient Greek, the word dolphin stands
for delphin, which means “with a womb”. The Greek knew the special relation that existed between the mother dolphin
and calf.
The Dolphin Connection
With
time, we have learned that dolphins and humans share emotions like humor (they tend to play pranks on pelicans),
love (easily distinguishable when observing a mother dolphin and baby dolphin calf) and even joy (have you seen the smile
of a dolphin?). This emotion is best captured in Neil Shaw's painting, "Mother and Child". As a matter of fact, humans and dolphins share some extraordinary abilities like the capacity to use tools.
In
2005, a group of researches in Australia discovered that parents taught their calves to use tools. How so? The mother teaches
the calf to put a sponge in its snout. That way they can protect it while exploring and learning the dangers that lurk underwater.
The most remarkable thing is that this knowledge is transferred between the mother dolphin and calf, so it can’t be
considered an instinct embedded in their genetic memory.
One
of the most interesting things is the relation between mother dolphin and calf. As with humans, the mother dolphin and baby dolphin share the first years until the calf is big enough to sustain by itself. When that happens, the bond between mother dolphin
and baby dolphin calf is broken and the adult dolphin begins a life of its own.
Hawaiian Dolphins
Fortunately,
Hawaii is surrounded by dolphins. The temperature and the richness of its surrounding waters are quite appealing to this species.
Since the time when the first humans arrived to these islands, the relation between the natives and dolphins has been quite
friendly. They also admired the relation between the mother dolphin and calf.
If
you are an enthusiast of dolphins and want to admire the special relation that exists between mother dolphin and calf, then Hawaii is your destination. There are several places within this archipelago that are perfect for this activity. You
may swim among dolphins with a marine biologist. He or she will give you information of these wonderful mammals.
Don’t
worry, though, that you will perturb in any way the ecosystem of the dolphins, the mother dolphin and baby dolphin calf. As
a matter of fact, one of the reasons why the marine biologist is necessary is because he or she will be able to perceive the
mood of the dolphins. If it is ok, then you may submerge into the tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Once
you are underwater, you will be able to watch the relation between mother dolphin and calf. You will see how these two creatures
of nature enjoy the pleasures of their environment and how they live in peace and harmony.
Protective Mother Dolphin
However,
that doesn’t mean that the mother dolphin and calf do not face any kind of danger. Besides man, dolphins have several
enemies, large shark among them. When this happens, the dolphins make a circle and surround the mother dolphin and baby dolphin
calf. That way the protect their lineage. Unfortunately, a mother dolphin and calf may find themselves victim of their predators.
If
both mother dolphin and calf face that situation, it’s most probable that the mother dolphin will do whatever she can
to protect her calf. This conduct is very different from the majority of animals that exist in the planet.
This
special relation between the mother dolphin and calf is another proof of why we feel so identified with dolphins. We also
share the same feelings towards our descendants. So, enjoy the tropical waters of Hawaii and prepare for the adventure of
your lifetime.
