The data recorded that male dolphins form their webs through physical contact and sounds. In addition, they might be using their memory to remember who helped them or who preferred to flee from danger.
A report published in the Science magazinereveals that male dolphins are the animals that generate the largest social networks, following humans. This was confirmed through data collected over 4 decades.
Its regarding Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphinscientifically known as Tursiops aduncus. This social-animal phenomenon is due to the fact that male dolphins that are not related develop alliances with each other to increase their reproductive success.
The study calls these dolphin-to-dolphin bonds “the largest complex cooperative societies outside of humans.” In addition, they assure that this species seems to have evolved differently, communicationally.
Other studies that began to develop in 1982 were following and monitoring more than 200 dolphins, identifying those groups that spent more time together. Thus they achieved important results of the social structure of this species.
“Males form close relationships with one or two males, and these associations are nested within a larger alliance, which in turn are nested within yet another alliance.Richard Wrangham, a primatologist at Harvard University who participated at the time, explains to Science.
“Male dolphins cooperate to capture and defend fertile females from other groups of males. A lone male cannot corner a female; he needs partners,” she adds.
How do dolphins make allies?
Now, a new study analyzed data collected between 2001 and 2006, when scientists monitored 121 males individually, which despite not being grouped, were connected to each other. This means that, In addition to their own groups, each dolphin has its own “acquaintances” apart.
“Each male had an average of 22 allies; some had up to 50”, says the study.
The data recorded that male dolphins form their webs through physical contact and sounds. “Swimming and diving together; caressing; holding fins; engaging in sex; hissing at each other when apart; building teams; and coming to mutual aid if rivals try to take a female”, they explain.
Likewise, they conclude those who make stronger ties manage to spend more time with the females and therefore increase their chance of reproducing. Scientists say that this may mean that they “make strategic social decisions.”
After these findings, Some scientists theorize that, like humans, dolphins use memory to remember who helped them or who preferred to flee from danger. Thus, the basis of dolphin society would be cooperation.
