By Justin Gregg
Oxford University Press, December 2013
Marine biologist Justin Gregg really loves dolphins. He loves the cetaceans so much that he’s devoted his career to studying the fascinating ways in which they communicate. But he’s not so enamored that he’s afraid to demystify some of the prevalent myths that surround dolphins and their apparently intelligent ways.
The scientific evidence, argues Gregg in Are Dolphins Really Smart?, is ample enough to evoke a healthy fascination and respect for the marine mammals’ cognitive capabilities. After all, research has shown that dolphins form complex social hierarchies, transmit behaviors through populations via nongenetic means, display nuanced and representative vocal patterns, and in some populations, exhibit rudimentary tool use. Eschewing the pervasive and nonscientific popular opinions regarding dolphin ...
