Dolphins bring to light similarities between "humans and animals"

A story that broke a few weeks ago appears in the Monday, June 27, Washington Post (Pg A07) headed, "Sponging' Dolphins May Be Sharing Culture." The Post article goes beyond sharing the news that a group of dolphins appear to be using sponges as tools, into a discussion of the similarities between our species and others.

The article opens:
"When marine biologists first spotted bottlenose dolphins cavorting off the coast of Australia wearing sea sponges on their snouts, they didn't know what to make of the odd behavior. Now, an international team of researchers has produced evidence that the animals' antics represent a form of culture, which would add the dolphins to an elite group of species that pass traditions down through generations without being compelled by their genes."

The lead researcher, Michael Krutzen explains: "They wear them like a glove. When they go down to the sea floor to probe for prey, there are lots of noxious animals down there. By using the sponge, it protects them."

This quote from him is pertinent: "The boundaries between humans and animals are becoming less and less clear. Thirty years ago, people thought humans and animals were very different from each other. No one thought animals used tools. No one thought they had any kind of culture. Those boundaries have been getting fuzzier and fuzzier. Now here's another example."

You can read the whole article on line at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/26/AR2005062600752.html?referrer=email OR http://tinyurl.com/ap6oj

It provides a perfect opportunity for letters to the editor on any aspect of our treatment of members of others species.

The Washington Post advises, "You can e-mail your Letters to the Editor to letters [at] washpost.com. Please do not send attachments; they will not be read....Letters must be exclusive to The Washington Post, and must include the writer's home address and home and business telephone numbers."


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