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| Can different species 'talk'? | Can different species 'talk'? |
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| Honeyeaters use badgers to break beehives (Image: Bruce Beehler/CI) By Finlo Rohrer and Tom Geoghegan BBC News Magazine A dolphin appeared to "talk" to two stranded whales before leading them to safety. How common is inter-species communication? | Honeyeaters use badgers to break beehives (Image: Bruce Beehler/CI) By Finlo Rohrer and Tom Geoghegan BBC News Magazine A dolphin appeared to "talk" to two stranded whales before leading them to safety. How common is inter-species communication? |
| Before the bottlenose dolphin turned up, the beached pygmy sperm whales were in clear distress. | |
| But when Moko arrived at Mahia beach on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, their mood changed and they followed him to safety. | But when Moko arrived at Mahia beach on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, their mood changed and they followed him to safety. |
| The ability of some animals to communicate is well known. | The ability of some animals to communicate is well known. |
| But while most mammals have the ability to understand human language, they lack the capacity to articulate anything themselves, although apes can "talk" using hand gestures. | But while most mammals have the ability to understand human language, they lack the capacity to articulate anything themselves, although apes can "talk" using hand gestures. |
| Begging gecko | Begging gecko |
| What's less well documented is the communication between species. | What's less well documented is the communication between species. |
| Justin Gregg, vice president of the Dolphin Communication Project, said it is possible that a bottle nose dolphin and a pygmy sperm whale could communicate in some way. | Justin Gregg, vice president of the Dolphin Communication Project, said it is possible that a bottle nose dolphin and a pygmy sperm whale could communicate in some way. |
| "But it wouldn't be instructions like 'hey buddy the open ocean is over here follow me'," he says. | "But it wouldn't be instructions like 'hey buddy the open ocean is over here follow me'," he says. |
| Dolphins use three forms of signalling to other dolphins - whistles, clicking and postures. | Dolphins use three forms of signalling to other dolphins - whistles, clicking and postures. |
| Different dolphin species do use similar types of signal Justin GreggDolphin Communication Project Similar in size and colour to a bottlenose dolphin, it is possible that a pygmy sperm whale might have signals in common with a dolphin, just as different species of dolphins are known to share signals which might theoretically allow a form of basic inter-species communication. | Different dolphin species do use similar types of signal Justin GreggDolphin Communication Project Similar in size and colour to a bottlenose dolphin, it is possible that a pygmy sperm whale might have signals in common with a dolphin, just as different species of dolphins are known to share signals which might theoretically allow a form of basic inter-species communication. |
| But just as it's possible that Moko the dolphin and the stranded whales shared a signal, it is also possible that the whales just saw a vaguely similar creature and followed it. | But just as it's possible that Moko the dolphin and the stranded whales shared a signal, it is also possible that the whales just saw a vaguely similar creature and followed it. |
| And it is important to recognise that the dolphin was not giving detailed instructions in a form we recognise as language, says Mr Gregg. | And it is important to recognise that the dolphin was not giving detailed instructions in a form we recognise as language, says Mr Gregg. |
| It is no longer thought dolphins have a language that can be decoded, they simply use a complicated communication systems, like elephants or ants. | It is no longer thought dolphins have a language that can be decoded, they simply use a complicated communication systems, like elephants or ants. |
| Gecko begging There have been some other recent examples of inter-species communication. A few weeks ago, viewers of the BBC's In Cold Blood saw a gecko "beg" a sap-sucking insect for food. | Gecko begging There have been some other recent examples of inter-species communication. A few weeks ago, viewers of the BBC's In Cold Blood saw a gecko "beg" a sap-sucking insect for food. |
| There are many reasons why different species communicate, say Vincent Janik, lecturer at the Sea Mammal Research Unit at St Andrew's University. | There are many reasons why different species communicate, say Vincent Janik, lecturer at the Sea Mammal Research Unit at St Andrew's University. |
| "The animals exploit the systems of others for their own benefits. Sometimes the benefits are the same for each, therefore they share information. | "The animals exploit the systems of others for their own benefits. Sometimes the benefits are the same for each, therefore they share information. |
| "Sometimes they are trying to take advantage of the other. Getting food may not be to the advantage of the one giving up the food." | "Sometimes they are trying to take advantage of the other. Getting food may not be to the advantage of the one giving up the food." |
| Eavesdropping | Eavesdropping |
| Ants protect the habitat of leaf lice and in return get a sugar excretion to eat, he says. They interact chemically and physically - the ants massage the leaf lice by secreting a small amount of the sugary food they are after. | Ants protect the habitat of leaf lice and in return get a sugar excretion to eat, he says. They interact chemically and physically - the ants massage the leaf lice by secreting a small amount of the sugary food they are after. |
| And honeyeater birds guide larger animals, like badgers, to a beehive for them to do the "dirty work" of breaking it so they can gain access. | And honeyeater birds guide larger animals, like badgers, to a beehive for them to do the "dirty work" of breaking it so they can gain access. |
| The communication takes the form of the honeyeater flying around the badger to get its attention then performing a call, flying towards the beehive and checking the badger is following. If it isn't, the honeyeater flies back to try again. | The communication takes the form of the honeyeater flying around the badger to get its attention then performing a call, flying towards the beehive and checking the badger is following. If it isn't, the honeyeater flies back to try again. |
| It's a mechanism that's relatively automatic, it's not about forming a plan Vincent JanikSea Mammal Research Unit Communication is often just one-way and completely inadvertent, says Mr Janik, a form of eavesdropping. | It's a mechanism that's relatively automatic, it's not about forming a plan Vincent JanikSea Mammal Research Unit Communication is often just one-way and completely inadvertent, says Mr Janik, a form of eavesdropping. |
| "The vervet monkey listens to the alarm calls of the superb starling to find out what kind of predators are around. | "The vervet monkey listens to the alarm calls of the superb starling to find out what kind of predators are around. |
| "Then the monkey follows an avoidance strategy accordingly, so if it's an aerial predator they duck under trees or if it's a leopard they run up trees. This way they improve their chances of survival." | "Then the monkey follows an avoidance strategy accordingly, so if it's an aerial predator they duck under trees or if it's a leopard they run up trees. This way they improve their chances of survival." |
| Inter-species communication most commonly takes the form of eavesdropping but it is not something that should be assessed in human terms, he says, because it's not done consciously. | Inter-species communication most commonly takes the form of eavesdropping but it is not something that should be assessed in human terms, he says, because it's not done consciously. |
| "It's a mechanism that's relatively automatic, it's not about forming a plan. The animal is trying to optimise its own survival chances and extracting the best possible information." | "It's a mechanism that's relatively automatic, it's not about forming a plan. The animal is trying to optimise its own survival chances and extracting the best possible information." |
| Add your comments on this story, using the form below. | Add your comments on this story, using the form below. |