Dolphins are far more than just playful sea creatures—they’re among the most intelligent beings on the planet. Their smarts go beyond simple tricks and communication, revealing a depth of cognition that rivals humans in surprising ways. From self-awareness to complex emotional bonds, these mammals are reshaping our understanding of animal intelligence.
Here’s how dolphins demonstrate their extraordinary mental capabilities.
How Dolphin Brains Compared to Humans
When scientists compare dolphin brains to human brains, they find some surprising similarities. In a groundbreaking study funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), lead scientist Lori Marino from Emory University, along with colleagues Daniel McShea from Duke University and Mark Uhen from the Cranbrook Institute of Science, made an exciting discovery about dolphin brain size.
Their research focused on how the brains of cetaceans—like dolphins, porpoises, belugas, and narwhals—have changed over millions of years. This study is important because it gives us the first clear understanding of how their brains evolved in relation to their bodies over the past 47 million years.
One of the biggest changes happened around 15 million years ago when oceanic dolphins (Delphinoidea) first appeared. These changes in brain size likely relate to shifts in the dolphins’ lifestyles, such as their social behaviors and hunting strategies.
What’s really interesting is that when it comes to brain size, dolphins aren’t too different from humans. Both species have relatively large brains compared to their body sizes.
This suggests that, in some ways, dolphins might have cognitive abilities that are comparable to those of humans. (ref)
Dolphins & the Mirror Test
The ability to recognize yourself in a mirror is really rare in the animal world. So far, only humans and great apes (like chimpanzees and gorillas) have shown clear signs that they can do this. But here’s something interesting: dolphins can, too!
In an experiment, two dolphins were given the chance to interact with reflective surfaces like mirrors. They didn’t just swim around like it was nothing—they actually used the mirror to check out specific parts of their bodies.
This behavior shows that they were aware of themselves and could use the reflection to explore their own appearance.
What’s amazing about this is that it’s a sign of something called “evolutionary convergence.” This means that, even though dolphins and humans are very different animals, they’ve developed similar abilities in certain ways.
Just like great apes and humans, dolphins can recognize themselves in the mirror, which is a big deal in terms of their intelligence. (ref)
Dolphins’ Empathy & Bonding
Did you know that dolphins can also show deep emotions? A study shows that dolphins can display empathy, especially when it comes to caring for their dead. In fact, adult dolphins have been observed carrying their dead calves or juveniles.
This is the first time this kind of behavior has been documented in some species, like Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins and spinner dolphins. The study suggests that when dolphins carry their dead, it could be a sign of mourning or emotional attachment, much like how humans and other mammals grieve. (ref)
This kind of behavior is important because it shows how emotionally complex dolphins are. Just like us, they seem to have the ability to feel and show empathy.
It also illustrates how strong their social bonds are. Dolphins are not just intelligent—they also form deep connections with each other, making them even more outstanding as social and emotional creatures.
Read Next
Belgium has announced its decision to permanently ban dolphinariums, becoming the seventh country globally to take this significant step.
Read Next:
Nancy Maffia
Nancy received a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.
