We’ve all heard the stories about how dolphins and porpoises rescue humans who are in trouble. In late 1999, a young Cuban boy, Elian Gonzalez, and his mother escaped Cuba with 12 others, all of them crammed into a small aluminum boat. The boat capsized during the 90-mile crossing to the U.S. and Elian’s mother and eleven others drowned. Elian, who was in an inner tube, was reportedly rescued by a pod of dolphins. This story spread quickly through Miami’s Cuban community. He was revered, destined for great things. During the ensuing custody battle, a kind of cult grew up around the boy. He was subsequently returned to Cuba to live with his father and is now a kind of mouthpiece for the Cuban government.
Elian is in good company, at least in the dolphin rescue sense. Apparently actor Dick van Dyke (Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) once fell asleep on his surfboard and awakened surrounded by fins. He thought the fins were sharks and was certain he was about to die. “They turned out to be porpoises,” he said in an article in The Guardian. “And they pushed me all the way to shore.”
Whenever I read stories like this, I wonder why these creatures rescue humans. The only answer that makes sense is altruism.
It was on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360. In one segment he had to interact with primates who were understanding speech and answering or asking with a specially designed computer. One of the primates wanted Anderson to dress up in a bunny suit. One of the characters in a training video was a person in a bunny suit.
After showing the dolphins using the mirror it was shown that elephants recognize themselves in the mirror.
Ray
I didn't know this, Ray. Was this program on animal planet??
Just the other day I watched a program on animal intelligence research. What was shown about dolphins is that they can recognize themselves in the mirror. A marker was used to put a line on a dolphin. There were two dolphins in the scene. The one with the mark kept going back to look until the mark was gone. The dolphin not marked looked once and did not come back to the mirror.
Ray
Sorry to hear about your daughter D.
I saw a wonderful documentary called "Out of the Blue" the other day about a filmmaker who lost his wife and goes on a quest to prove the existence of life after death to himself.
You can view the trailer here;
https://www.realearthproductions.com/out_of_the_blue.htm
I would highly recommend this film to anyone.A beautiful and touching documentary.
Thinking of you and Laryssa, D. I know she's close by! cj
oh, dolphin stories are always among my favorites – sadly, i have not been honored with having met one [or more] yet, but what a day that will be! so many many marvelous stories of these creatures, our cousins – i know megan will have some fantastic stories for us with her work with them –
thinking of you and laryssa, dpage!
They are noble creatures, they make my heart swell.
Yes, D.Forgive me for being remiss, I second Musings sentiment re: Laryssa. ♥
wv = blession blessings on you.
Wow, musing. That's a good one!Protected, for sure.
In 1988 while vacationing in Hopetown, Bahamas my then-husband had gone snorkeling by himself around a particular reef. The channel current was so strong that he was swept away from the agreed upon meeting place and he found himself swimming down and across the channel to a small island. Although a strong swimmer he was growing tired about halfway across. About that time he looked off to his right and a dolphin had appeared and was flanking him about 15 feet away and accompanied him all the way to the shallows wherein he walked/crawled onto the beach. He is convinced that the dolphin had appeared in order to let him know he was 'protected' and could soldier on. I'm a believer!
wv: lighties (isn't that funny?) These stories bring light and love to all of us. I'm so sorry for your loss, d page.
I love this story, also the one about "Doolittle". We are so anthropocentric! We're not the only intelligence on this planet, not the only evolution trying to go on here………..
Daz, that youtube Nat'l Geographic clip wasn't the one I saw about the ocean creatures. cj
Beautiful story at any rate. Thanks. 🙂
Happy belated birthday for Laryssa! The dolphin place where megan will be interning does work with dolphins/handicapped kids.
Thanks for the link, Daz.
Simple: that's an interesting theory!
Being a natural empath, I can say that dolphins "communicate" in a strong and clear way. They are very bright and compassionate. I often want to apoligise to them fro being a human. My termanially ill daughter had a wonderful morning with a dolphin at Sea World, named Beaker. He was also born w/ a birth defect. They bonded immediately. She had her tiny hand on his head the whole time. I have photos of this interaction (not digital). When we left, I kept turning over my shoulder. He watched us leave until were were out of sight. I have photos of this as well. I felt like I was leaving a family member behind.
BTW Yesterday would have been Laryssa's 17th birthday.
yeah Rob ya bring up that Dallas thing then,,,, well not like I can reallly lay that out,, it start sounding like delusion talk,, WANT to know how to push someones sensibilities around,,,, have him believing some have #%^$ &*%$ #*(% () $%## $% ^&*$%$$^ $&*** (%@@(^(&,,, and then have him also believe,, how could they possibly…….
Actually,according to this National Geographic clip,their sex lives are way more complicated.
Take a look;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0vGamcQIYs
first off, it would be my guess that animals are a way that the spirit world hangs around and watches and toys, and interacts with humans,, could be a place where humans go to live out thier karma,, have felt this way for a long time,, but,, but, almost the most amazing thing I've heard lately is how the HECK do you fall (was he dreaming of MTM) asleep on a surf board,,, was he on the beach and the tide came in,, sounds kind of fishy to me……
Sorry about my mis-perception. I watched a program on National Geographic not too long ago about various species of creatures who mate for life, etc., and dolphins were included. So, there are evidently divided schools of thought from the zoologists on this issue, I suppose. In any event, monogamous or polygamous, they are wonderful, loving creatures! I'm sure all of us agree on that! Although, some cultures, including ours, consider dolphins to be food, just as some cultures (thank goodness not ours) eat dogs. Oh my! Look at this WV:
"paumarkd" paw marked? How cool is that! cj
Dolpohins don't mate for life. They aren't monogamous. here's a link from dolphins plus:https://www.dolphinsplus.com/dolphin-information.htm#mates
I agree with CJ – they are more evolved than we are.
I've spoken to many folks who think my opinion on this particular issue is insane: I have a sense that animals such as dolphins, and even our domestic pets, are more highly evolved spiritually than humans, in certain ways. They love unconditionally. Our species hasn't yet attained the ability to love unconditionally. Some folks THINK they love unconditionally, but when it's examined, there are also conditions hidden somewhere within human love. Thus, human relationships tend to wax and wane. Not so with some of the animals who inhabit this planet. Are we more highly evolved than the dolphins because we are able to speak? I don't think so. Dolphins speak. They have a definitive language; just not a language that we comprehend.
It's the same with canines and felines. They speak. But not in languages that we ordinarily comprehend. There can be no doubt about the intelligence of these creatures. And in my humble opinion, their souls may be more highly evolved than the human souls simply because they love without conditions or reservations and often without fear of consequences. The little Cuban boy is a perfect example of such universal, unconditional love and devotion and as T&R said, altruism. There are countless stories about family pets saving children from drowning, and saving entire families from house fires, etc. Perhaps these sea creatures and other animals are "guardians" of the lesser evolved two-legged land creatures who share their world. They are magnificent and inspiring. And, "divorce" is unknown to many of them. The dolphins and whales mate for life, they are faithful, and they mourn when their spouses die. Marine biologists report that some ocean-dwelling spouses actually die (tragically) of heartbreak when they lose their mates. THAT is a kind of love most humans cannot understand or contemplate, because we've been taught to persevere and carry on beyond such loss. Elephants also mate for life, are faithful, and have been observed to occasionally die when the mate is lost, as do many species of birds. What do they know that we don't, and what can we learn from them? I'm not suggesting humans should transition when we lose our beloveds, but I do think these creatures have much to teach us arrogant human beings about so many, many things! cj
Always uplifting to think of such acts by these friends of humans. Wonder why 'we' can't always be friends with them.
They are just amazing creatures, so much more intelligent than most realize. Thank you for this story, it helps me to feel hopeful in the face of all the other news today.
Dolphins attempt first aid rescue on one of their own.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDgp8PnK-0I
SERAPHIM turtle rescue with assistance of Dolphins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx2C76ReDAs
Not only do they rescue humans,they also rescue whales as well.
Here's a YouTube clip about a dolphin who comes to the rescue of a whale.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp_motddvnQ