Why it's a Mind Blow: Inter-species collaboration may seem like nothing new, but this 165 year old partnership between dolphins and fisherman is actually quite unique. In the murky shallows, the fishermen would be hard pressed to both see and corral their catch. Likewise, the mullet can easily escape the dolphins by dashing further into shallow water. But together, both human and dolphin can trap a feast.
What's unique about this collaboration is that we never asked, trained, or otherwise cajoled the dolphins into the relationship. Around 1847, some dolphins saw some people fishing. They were the ones who had the idea to drive fish towards our nets, trapping the shoals and maximizing yields for both species.
Furthermore, scientists have discovered that not all dolphins in the area participate in the hunt. Only the dolphins that are more social among themselves work with the humans, suggesting personality differences in dolphin society that we're only beginning to understand. The inter-generational nature of this collaboration also suggests that dolphins not only think critically, but also pass their discoveries on. They learn and then they teach, and this illuminates an intellectual evolutionary process that closely mirrors our own.
Bottom line: these creatures are smart and innovative, and we have so much more to learn about their capacity and potential. I only wish I could jump ahead a million or so years and see how their species continues to evolve. I'd put my money on some pretty amazing and unimaginable advances among their people.
Source: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/05/01/dolphins-that-help-humans-to-catch-fish-form-tighter-social-networks/
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