0:00:40 > 0:00:42This is a bottlenose dolphin.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52Its brain is one of the largest in the animal kingdom.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Even larger than our own.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08It's thought to be one of the most intelligent creatures on the planet.
0:01:16 > 0:01:22Dolphins, along with their larger cousins the great whales...
0:01:23 > 0:01:27..live in a world entirely alien to our own.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35It's hard to imagine
0:01:35 > 0:01:36what's going on in their minds.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Trying to reveal their secrets, scientists
0:01:55 > 0:01:58who have dedicated their lives to understanding them.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02I think we could talk with the dolphins within five years.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07And taking us closer than ever before,
0:02:07 > 0:02:11two of the world's top underwater cameramen.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Fantastic! Today is the best day of my life.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25It's a peach! That's one of the most awesome things you can see anywhere.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31Like us, whales and dolphins are big-brained
0:02:31 > 0:02:34and live complex social lives.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42But just how intelligent are they?
0:03:00 > 0:03:05Off the coast of the Bahamas lies a tropical paradise.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14These calm, clear waters
0:03:14 > 0:03:17are the perfect setting for one of the world's
0:03:17 > 0:03:21most in-depth research projects on wild dolphin communication.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29The degree to which an animal can communicate
0:03:29 > 0:03:32is an excellent measure of its intelligence,
0:03:32 > 0:03:36so how do these Atlantic spotted dolphins perform?
0:03:45 > 0:03:51Behavioural biologist Denise Herzing is a world expert on dolphins...
0:03:51 > 0:03:53and dolphin-speak.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Well, they make echolocation clicks, so they...
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Which are?
0:03:59 > 0:04:01SHE IMITATES ECHOLOCATION CLICKS
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Hey, she's good, huh?
0:04:03 > 0:04:06CONTINUES IMITATION
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Denise has spent the last 26 years
0:04:11 > 0:04:16studying the local dolphins, and knows each one personally.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Hey, it's Stubby! Stubby! We haven't seen Stubby all year.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Her goal is to understand how they communicate
0:04:22 > 0:04:26with sound, touch and body postures.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30She does this by recording their behaviour
0:04:30 > 0:04:34using a specially designed hydrophone and underwater cameras.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40Later, she analyses the footage and sound recordings
0:04:40 > 0:04:43in an attempt to understand just what they're saying.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55Thanks to Denise's enduring relationship with these dolphins,
0:04:55 > 0:05:00cameramen Doug Allan and Didier Noirot
0:05:00 > 0:05:02have a unique opportunity to capture
0:05:02 > 0:05:05the huge range of dolphin communication.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Things that are good to do are to make eye contact
0:05:09 > 0:05:11if they're interacting with you.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15Don't turn upside down - that's a signal of
0:05:15 > 0:05:17- a mating or aggression. - Ah, yes.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20OK, here's the big tip. whoever behaves themselves best
0:05:20 > 0:05:23and shows the best etiquette with the dolphins
0:05:23 > 0:05:25is probably going to get the best footage,
0:05:25 > 0:05:27so that's your challenge.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Yeah, we're ready.
0:05:41 > 0:05:46As they get in the water, the team are confronted by a family group...
0:05:49 > 0:05:52..including a mum and her young calf.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03In the dolphin world, a mother will look after her calf
0:06:03 > 0:06:05for up to five years,
0:06:05 > 0:06:09giving her plenty of time to teach everything she knows.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17When mum and calf separate,
0:06:17 > 0:06:22they keep in contact by making their own unique signature whistle.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25DOLPHINS WHISTLE
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Dolphins also learn the signature whistles
0:06:34 > 0:06:39of the others in their group, so they can call each other by name.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42DOLPHINS WHISTLE
0:06:42 > 0:06:46Besides humans, dolphins do seem to be the only group of animals
0:06:46 > 0:06:49that have individual names for each other.
0:06:51 > 0:06:56These dolphins know Denise and accept her as one of the family.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04But this youngster has discovered someone new.
0:07:09 > 0:07:15Like any inquisitive toddler, he can't help but investigate Didier.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Mum immediately calls him back.
0:07:21 > 0:07:26It seems talking to strangers might have got him into trouble.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Mum is pinning her calf to the ground
0:07:31 > 0:07:34and buzzing him with clicks of sonar.
0:07:34 > 0:07:39In dolphin-speak, this is the equivalent of a good ticking off.
0:07:39 > 0:07:44Like all youngsters, this one needs to be taught his boundaries.
0:07:49 > 0:07:55Soon, all is forgiven and Mum reassures him with gentle body rubs.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04That little one was obviously so attached to his mum.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08- You know, he was right under... Was it a he or a she?- It was a he.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11A he. Just obviously making lots of contact.
0:08:11 > 0:08:12Of course, what is great
0:08:12 > 0:08:14is that it's them choosing to spend time with us.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20In dolphin society,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24communication can help cement the bonds within families,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27but it also has a darker side.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47These are younger males. They're not so old, so they're probably learning.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Chuff, they're like...
0:08:49 > 0:08:51SHE EXHALES SHARPLY
0:08:51 > 0:08:54..and it's usually when they're hyped up and getting ready to chase and fight.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11This time, as they enter the water,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14there's a cacophony of clicks and whistles.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16Trouble is brewing.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Male dolphins form small gangs,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26synchronising their movements and vocalisations.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30DOLPHINS CLICK
0:09:30 > 0:09:35When they're together, they seem to create their very own gang whistle.
0:09:37 > 0:09:42This gang of male teenagers are chasing Amanda,
0:09:42 > 0:09:45a female Denise knows well.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49They're trying to impress Amanda with their synchronised moves.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52She doesn't seem too happy with all the attention,
0:09:52 > 0:09:54fending them off with high-pitched squeaks
0:09:54 > 0:09:56and slapping her tail.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12They keep buzzing her with ultrasound to check she's in season.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20But now, they've got competition.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22CLICKING AND WHISTLING
0:10:24 > 0:10:27It's a gang of older males.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36The battle over Amanda has begun.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Down on the seabed, the two gangs
0:11:00 > 0:11:02go head-to-head.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Completely ignored by the dolphins,
0:11:10 > 0:11:17Didier gets a rare chance to record this intense showdown close up.
0:11:32 > 0:11:37Each side is posturing and jaw-clapping in synchrony
0:11:37 > 0:11:40to make them appear bigger and stronger.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46It's intimidation based not on violence,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49but on a high level of communication.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Then, suddenly, the fighting stops.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26The old boys have seen off the young guns.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30Their argument was clearly more persuasive.
0:12:30 > 0:12:31- DOUG:- Wow, wow!
0:12:31 > 0:12:35- Did you see that?- There's lots of action going on there!
0:12:37 > 0:12:39They came all together mid-water
0:12:39 > 0:12:42and they click-click-click-click click-click.
0:12:42 > 0:12:43Sometimes, you could see them,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45a big curved posture with the beak open.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48That's really extreme aggression, and, you know, they don't have
0:12:48 > 0:12:51facial muscles and expressions, right,
0:12:51 > 0:12:53so that's how they express themselves.
0:12:53 > 0:12:54Their beak going like this. It was great.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57It's a great example of coalition behaviour.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Denise has yet to decipher
0:13:01 > 0:13:05all the subtleties of these amazing interactions.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Her dream is one day to crack their code
0:13:08 > 0:13:12so that she can understand exactly what they are saying.
0:13:12 > 0:13:17But how close is she to really talking to dolphins?
0:13:17 > 0:13:19I think the technology exists
0:13:19 > 0:13:23and I think our knowledge of the dolphins out here exists
0:13:23 > 0:13:27to do that within five years, to start that process
0:13:27 > 0:13:30of having a meaningful exchange with the dolphins.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39But communication is only part of being smart.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44Intelligent animals are also inquisitive animals,
0:13:44 > 0:13:48and there are few animals as inquisitive as dolphins.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58West of the Bahamas, off the Caribbean island of Roatan,
0:13:58 > 0:14:02the local dolphins are in for a surprise.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Professor Stan Kuczaj is joined by cameraman Doug,
0:14:18 > 0:14:22and he's about to perform a very strange experiment
0:14:22 > 0:14:26with one of the most curious species of dolphin - the bottlenose dolphin.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30OK. This is what we're going to put in the water...
0:14:30 > 0:14:33This little dolphin is already intrigued,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36and the experiment hasn't even begun!
0:14:51 > 0:14:54Stan's machine blows bubble rings,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57something these dolphins won't ever have seen before.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20What will the dolphins make of these bubble rings?
0:15:41 > 0:15:46Initially, like most animals, they're a bit wary...
0:15:46 > 0:15:50but then, curiosity gets the better of them.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56One individual seems particularly spellbound.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06She's checking out the bubbles not just with her eyes,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09but also with clicks of sonar.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16And then, she braves the bubble ring.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37This courageous explorer has paved the way for the others.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50Just like human toddlers,
0:16:50 > 0:16:54it doesn't take long for these imaginative creatures
0:16:54 > 0:16:57to make a game out of their new toy.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Even after hours with the bubble rings,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15the dolphins are still experimenting.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21And each has got their own version of the game.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27One dolphin prefers a tail flick.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Another a fin flick.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41And the real show-off goes for the swim through.
0:17:44 > 0:17:49While some animals will show initial interest in novel objects,
0:17:49 > 0:17:53very few will maintain this level of curiosity
0:17:53 > 0:17:55and playfulness for so long.
0:18:02 > 0:18:03Wow! That was amazing.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06I was going to say, what did you make of that?
0:18:06 > 0:18:09That was amazing. There's a lot going on.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11Lots of inventive play.
0:18:11 > 0:18:12Lots of inventive play,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15lots of curiosity, lots of flexibility -
0:18:15 > 0:18:18the dolphins aren't just doing the same thing over and over again,
0:18:18 > 0:18:20they're trying different things.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23I think what we're seeing is that combination of curiosity
0:18:23 > 0:18:26and the ability to change your behaviour, which I think is
0:18:26 > 0:18:30one of the hallmarks of dolphin intelligence.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34This inquisitive nature and willingness to try new things
0:18:34 > 0:18:38enables dolphins to adapt to different situations.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42This has huge advantages for their survival in the wild.
0:18:51 > 0:18:57Perhaps the best place to see this is the western coast of Australia.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17With sun, sand and rolling waves,
0:19:17 > 0:19:21it might seem like an idyllic dolphin paradise.
0:19:23 > 0:19:29But the seabed here is one of the toughest environments on the planet.
0:19:33 > 0:19:38Finding enough food to survive is a huge challenge...
0:19:40 > 0:19:43..but the bottlenose dolphins that live here
0:19:43 > 0:19:46have come up with a whole variety of strategies.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54In Shark Bay, the few fish to be found
0:19:54 > 0:19:57have taken refuge in the shallows.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06The dolphins can't swim in water this shallow,
0:20:06 > 0:20:09but they've come up with another way of getting to the fish.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27Their daring solution is hydroplaning.
0:20:34 > 0:20:35Pumping their tails,
0:20:35 > 0:20:40they work up enough speed to skim across the surface.
0:20:40 > 0:20:41It's a very risky strategy.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44If they get it wrong, they could beach themselves.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47But it's a gamble they're prepared to take.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01The fish have nowhere left to go.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Only a handful of these brave and brainy dolphins
0:21:08 > 0:21:11have mastered this remarkable technique.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39500 miles further south,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42the local dolphins face a very different challenge.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Here, the seabed is coated with seagrass.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58While there's plenty of food for dolphins, the long fronds
0:21:58 > 0:22:01interfere with their sense of echolocation,
0:22:01 > 0:22:05making it difficult for them to detect any hidden prey.
0:22:10 > 0:22:16Again, the dolphins have come up with their own clever plan.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29Dolphin expert Sarah Robinson has spent many years
0:22:29 > 0:22:33following these dolphins, and discovered the secret
0:22:33 > 0:22:36of their success. Stingrays.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42It doesn't take long for her to spot two of the dolphins she's after,
0:22:42 > 0:22:46the charmingly named Zit and Pimple.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48- They're just here. - Just under the water here.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50And they look like they're diving.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55I've put off the cold water long enough, so I'm going to have to
0:22:55 > 0:22:59get in and check out if they are following a stingray.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Fingers crossed they are, and I'm not going in for nothing.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06Yeah, I'm in neutral, go for it, go, go, go...
0:23:10 > 0:23:11- They're on a stingray!- Yeah?
0:23:24 > 0:23:27Sarah free-dives to the grassy seabed
0:23:27 > 0:23:30and catches a rare glimpse of this strange association.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41CLICKING AND WHISTLING
0:23:54 > 0:23:58Armed with a lethal barb on the end of their tails,
0:23:58 > 0:24:02these stingrays pose a threat to both humans and dolphins.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Zit and Pimple are taking quite a risk,
0:24:17 > 0:24:21but they don't seem to be put off as they shadow the ray's every move.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48The ray seems to have found something.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53Undulating its wing-like fins, it's trying to flush out hidden prey.
0:25:04 > 0:25:10An octopus - a real delicacy for both stingray and dolphin.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Stingrays have an ability that dolphins lack -
0:25:18 > 0:25:22they can locate prey hidden beneath the seagrass
0:25:22 > 0:25:26using the electro-receptors on the underside of their bodies.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33And the dolphins have worked this out.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41She got it! She got an octopus!
0:25:41 > 0:25:44The dolphins have solved the problem
0:25:44 > 0:25:48of how to find their favourite food in the long seagrass.
0:25:48 > 0:25:53They're harnessing an ability of another species for their own ends.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59The stingrays have done all the hard work,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01only to be outsmarted by the dolphins.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Further up the coast, at Monkey Mia beach,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21a group of bottlenose dolphins
0:26:21 > 0:26:25appears to have joined forces with another species.
0:26:27 > 0:26:32They arrive here at exactly the same time every morning.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37So what is the reason for this daily routine?
0:26:38 > 0:26:4240 years ago, a particularly curious dolphin,
0:26:42 > 0:26:46that the locals christened Charlene, overcame
0:26:46 > 0:26:50her fear of humans and started herding herring under the quay,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53making it easy for fishermen to catch them.
0:26:56 > 0:27:01She was well rewarded for her help, and the relationship blossomed.
0:27:04 > 0:27:10Soon, she was returning every morning at exactly 7:15.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21Today, Charlene's granddaughters and great-granddaughters
0:27:21 > 0:27:23carry on the tradition
0:27:23 > 0:27:28and continue to return at the same time every day.
0:27:39 > 0:27:44Now, instead of fishermen, it's rangers and tourists
0:27:44 > 0:27:46that help keep the partnership going.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59These dolphins will go on to teach this behaviour to their offspring,
0:27:59 > 0:28:04continuing to pass it on through successive generations.
0:28:12 > 0:28:17This group of dolphins' ability to learn, adapt and teach
0:28:17 > 0:28:22has guaranteed them and their offspring a much easier life.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31But it's not just Australian bottlenose dolphins
0:28:31 > 0:28:33that are super-smart.
0:28:40 > 0:28:45On the other side of the world, off the southern coast of Florida,
0:28:45 > 0:28:47a group has gone one step further.
0:28:52 > 0:28:57In the shallows of Florida Bay, the fish can be very difficult to catch.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04With the tide receding,
0:29:04 > 0:29:09this female moves into position downstream of the fish.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17And then, she does something remarkable.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28Beating her tail, she stirs up the silt.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42She has created a V-shaped wall of mud.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44A fish trap.
0:29:44 > 0:29:49Caught in the jaws of the trap, the fish have nowhere to go,
0:29:49 > 0:29:51except up.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08This ingenious hunting strategy
0:30:08 > 0:30:12has been passed down successive generations
0:30:12 > 0:30:16and this female is teaching it to her own youngster.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36Just how these dolphins first came up
0:30:36 > 0:30:40with this extraordinary strategy is a mystery.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42But their use of mud to catch fish
0:30:42 > 0:30:47clearly demonstrates their unique powers of creativity.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02Perhaps it's this creative intelligence
0:31:02 > 0:31:05that draws us to these magical creatures.
0:31:11 > 0:31:17Certainly, dolphins' curiosity and playfulness captivate us.
0:31:18 > 0:31:23But what of their larger cousins - the great whales?
0:31:37 > 0:31:40They have the largest brains of all,
0:31:40 > 0:31:43so what about their intelligence?
0:31:43 > 0:31:45Are they super smart too?
0:31:52 > 0:31:56These humpback whales are on a marathon journey.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59They've been swimming for the last three months.
0:32:04 > 0:32:09And their destination is the west coast of Alaska.
0:32:16 > 0:32:21The summer sun has fuelled an explosion of life
0:32:21 > 0:32:23in these deep fiords.
0:32:26 > 0:32:31Plankton blooms have given rise to huge shoals of herring.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40And this fish bonanza is why the humpback whales
0:32:40 > 0:32:43have travelled over 3,000 miles.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51But feasting on these fish isn't straightforward.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55The herring choose to gather in the depths of the fiords,
0:32:55 > 0:32:58where it's easier to escape from predators.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08For the whales to catch them,
0:33:08 > 0:33:12they'll need an ingenious hunting strategy.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38Scientist Fred Sharpe knows of a particularly smart
0:33:38 > 0:33:41group of humpback whales that have
0:33:41 > 0:33:44a clever solution to catching herring,
0:33:44 > 0:33:49and he's invited Doug along to help him record key players in the group.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56So how does Fred rate their chances of finding them?
0:33:56 > 0:34:00- 100%.- 100%, that's great.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03This is their home, we've just got to find where the party is.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07It's like a nightclub, you know, find out where the hot spot is.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10Two weeks ago, it was right here. Right now, it's hard to say.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12But we'll find them, we'll find them.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Fred has names for over a thousand whales that come here,
0:34:28 > 0:34:32but only 50 are part of what he calls the A-team -
0:34:32 > 0:34:38a super-smart group of whales that work together in an extraordinary way.
0:34:40 > 0:34:45The unique shapes and marks of each whale's tail fluke allow Fred to tell who's who.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48There's one...over there.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52There he goes, show us who you are, baby. Let's see it.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Got it. Hey, it's...it's Samurai.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59Doesn't it look like a mandarin with a sword marching along?
0:34:59 > 0:35:01It does slightly.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05Unfortunately, he's not one of our core community of whales
0:35:05 > 0:35:08that we're looking for. He's just a lone Samurai doing his thing,
0:35:08 > 0:35:12and a good sign, it shows there's feed in the area.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15Fred has known Samurai for the last eight years.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18He's one of the older humpbacks, but not one of the smartest.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Fred and Doug come across more whales.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28Some single, some travelling in pairs,
0:35:28 > 0:35:32but still no sign of the A-team.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38Day after day, the search continues.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43Just put it on the ground.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07At last, they come across a group that's fast asleep.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09It's just like a log floating on the surface.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12Without any tail flukes visible,
0:36:12 > 0:36:14it's very hard to identify individuals.
0:36:14 > 0:36:21Yeah, it seems like these animals can teach us a lot - cooperation,
0:36:21 > 0:36:25majesty - but the one thing they really teach you is patience.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28You can say that again!
0:36:28 > 0:36:29He's up to something now.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32- Who is this?- He's going to fluke now.
0:36:32 > 0:36:33- So who's that?- It's Vulture.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36That's one of the leaders, Vulture.
0:36:36 > 0:36:37- That's Vulture.- Sweet!
0:36:37 > 0:36:39Sweet, indeed.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43They've found Vulture, one of the ring-leaders of the A-team.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50It's a peach!
0:36:50 > 0:36:53That's one of the most awesome things you can see anywhere,
0:36:53 > 0:36:56- isn't it, a full breach? - Phenomenal.
0:36:56 > 0:37:02You know, it's funny, everyone's had a nice long nap and seems like they're starting to wake up.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05It's like sometimes, certain whales - let's get it going on, people,
0:37:05 > 0:37:09- let's get it going on, let's get your pec flippers in the air!- See!
0:37:19 > 0:37:23They've found the A-team and they're certainly waking up.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39No-one really knows why humpbacks make these fin slaps
0:37:39 > 0:37:41and spectacular breaches.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44Perhaps the herring have been spotted
0:37:44 > 0:37:46and this is the team's call to action.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27Fred and Doug track the whales as they move to the shoreline.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30According to Fred, this is a favourite hunting spot.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35Once again, they seem to be having...
0:38:35 > 0:38:37difficulty finding the prey.
0:38:37 > 0:38:42This is awesome to see these whales here, these are the core community,
0:38:42 > 0:38:46these are the leaders, these are the main bubblers and vocalisers,
0:38:46 > 0:38:47this is a very good sign.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55They're like apparitions, you know?
0:38:55 > 0:38:57That is all magic.
0:38:57 > 0:39:01Now they're listening out for the distinctive herding call
0:39:01 > 0:39:05and looking for a telltale circle of bubbles.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11We've been listening to these beautiful mournful calls for
0:39:11 > 0:39:1515 years now and we've been able... Oh, oh, I hear it.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18< Right here, right here, to the left, quick!
0:39:18 > 0:39:25HERDING CALLS
0:39:45 > 0:39:48- That's just...- Yeah... - That's really peachy.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51- The biology is cool, but the beauty just bowls you over.- It's lovely.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58At last, the A-team are starting to feed.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08- We're just so close and obviously laid back.- It's taken us a while
0:40:08 > 0:40:12- to find the crew.- There were times I was a disbeliever, Fred,
0:40:12 > 0:40:16but you've come up with it. That's really lovely, beautiful.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18< Lunge bubble-net near shore.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20OK, right.
0:40:20 > 0:40:21< Very near shore.
0:40:21 > 0:40:27- OK, I'm on it, I'm on it, I'm on it... Oh, nice bubbles.- Nice.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54You do get perfect warning, when it's flat like this,
0:40:54 > 0:40:57they throw that lovely, perfect bubble, perfect ring.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00They're making it. Whoever the tool-users are here,
0:41:00 > 0:41:03they're throwing a big, glorious net too, right?
0:41:04 > 0:41:08The A-team's strategy for herding herring from the depths
0:41:08 > 0:41:11relies on a highly-coordinated attack
0:41:11 > 0:41:14in which each whale has a crucial role to play.
0:41:18 > 0:41:24Using sightings like these, as well as recordings from hydrophones and sonar equipment,
0:41:24 > 0:41:28Fred and his team have built up a detailed picture
0:41:28 > 0:41:30of what's going on beneath the surface.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39Following the ringleader,
0:41:39 > 0:41:43the whales dive down together and each one moves into position.
0:41:47 > 0:41:52There are the herders - they circle the fish with flashing fins,
0:41:52 > 0:41:56keeping the shoal contained and preventing its escape.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01Then there is the caller -
0:42:01 > 0:42:06the one who dives below the shoal and emits a deafening cry.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10HIGH-PITCHED CRY
0:42:10 > 0:42:12As loud as a rocket launch,
0:42:12 > 0:42:17180 decibels of sound pressure blasts through the water.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23In an attempt to escape from the noise,
0:42:23 > 0:42:25the panic-stricken fish are driven upwards.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29This is where the ringleader comes in.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36Taking up position above the herring, it begins
0:42:36 > 0:42:41blowing out a stream of air to create a fizzing net of bubbles.
0:42:44 > 0:42:49The shoal is prevented from dispersing by the herders,
0:42:49 > 0:42:53and driven up by the caller right into the bubble-net.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05Then all the whales
0:43:05 > 0:43:08gather underneath the fish trapped in the net.
0:43:15 > 0:43:21With mouths wide open, the A-team burst through the surface, engulfing their prey.
0:43:29 > 0:43:33By hunting together like this, each whale can catch
0:43:33 > 0:43:36up to half a ton of herring a day.
0:43:51 > 0:43:57Surprisingly, Fred has discovered that none of the A-team is related.
0:43:57 > 0:43:59Like us, humpback whales
0:43:59 > 0:44:02can form friendships that last for many years.
0:44:22 > 0:44:25This spectacular display of teamwork
0:44:25 > 0:44:29is perhaps the ultimate demonstration of coordination
0:44:29 > 0:44:32and cooperation in the whale and dolphin world.
0:44:51 > 0:44:57But are whales and dolphins capable of even higher thought processes
0:44:57 > 0:45:00that only a tiny elite of life on earth can lay claim to?
0:45:04 > 0:45:07Are they capable of self awareness,
0:45:07 > 0:45:10what one might call existential thought?
0:45:17 > 0:45:22At Baltimore Aquarium, some very special bottlenose dolphins
0:45:22 > 0:45:26are participating in one of the world's leading studies
0:45:26 > 0:45:29into what dolphins might think about themselves.
0:45:31 > 0:45:35Professor Diana Reiss has spent over 25 years studying dolphins'
0:45:35 > 0:45:41cognitive abilities, that is, how they make sense of the world.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46And she's witnessed some astonishing behaviour.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49Recently, we did studies where we actually gave dolphins...
0:45:49 > 0:45:51See, they're actually interested in looking at...
0:45:51 > 0:45:57And her precision instrument to unlock the dolphins' inner secrets?
0:45:57 > 0:45:58A mirror.
0:45:58 > 0:46:02So we have, OK, a mirror like this.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05So what we do is we give them the mirror.
0:46:05 > 0:46:09These dolphins have never seen a mirror in their lives.
0:46:09 > 0:46:10How will they react?
0:46:10 > 0:46:13And here it comes.
0:46:17 > 0:46:20There's some other dolphins coming up as well right now.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25True to form, they're instantly intrigued.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28So what they first do is explore the mirror, they try to look behind it,
0:46:28 > 0:46:31they try to figure out what this new thing is.
0:46:33 > 0:46:35They also look and show behaviour
0:46:35 > 0:46:37like they're looking at another dolphin.
0:46:44 > 0:46:48This behaviour is shared with monkeys and even birds,
0:46:48 > 0:46:51but the dolphins do something that sets them apart.
0:46:56 > 0:47:01It looks like they're testing the effects of their own behaviour in front of the mirror,
0:47:01 > 0:47:04understanding that there's a relationship between what they're doing
0:47:04 > 0:47:08and what they see in the mirror. They understand that that's themselves.
0:47:08 > 0:47:12This next step requires a giant mental leap
0:47:12 > 0:47:15of which very few animals are capable.
0:47:16 > 0:47:18It's great, I can watch this all day!
0:47:18 > 0:47:22- You'll have to be my research assistant.- It's just great!
0:47:22 > 0:47:24This is why I do it, it's fascinating.
0:47:25 > 0:47:28There's something even more fascinating that happens
0:47:28 > 0:47:31when the dolphins are left with a mirror for longer.
0:47:31 > 0:47:35It's subtle, but the implications are profound,
0:47:35 > 0:47:40and to see it, we need to go into the ominously named Pit.
0:47:42 > 0:47:46It's very cosy down here.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49Here, Diana puts up a two-way mirror.
0:47:49 > 0:47:53While the dolphins just see a reflection of themselves,
0:47:53 > 0:47:58Doug can remain hidden from view recording their reactions.
0:48:02 > 0:48:06These dolphins have been staring into the looking glass for over
0:48:06 > 0:48:10a year and just can't get enough of their own reflections.
0:48:10 > 0:48:15- This is Foster.- Foster, yes. - He's three.- He's really curious.
0:48:17 > 0:48:21Not only have they worked out that the reflection is theirs,
0:48:21 > 0:48:25but they seem endlessly absorbed by the image they see.
0:48:36 > 0:48:40They're using the mirror as a tool to view themselves,
0:48:40 > 0:48:45and it also suggests that they're interested in what they look like.
0:48:45 > 0:48:50That requires a sense of self. This is a very high level of awareness.
0:48:53 > 0:49:00Only humans, great apes and elephants share this sophisticated level of self-awareness.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05But can these apparently narcissistic tendencies
0:49:05 > 0:49:10reveal more about the inner workings of their minds?
0:49:11 > 0:49:15Human babies only start to recognise themselves in a mirror
0:49:15 > 0:49:18at the age of about two years old.
0:49:18 > 0:49:22And it's at this age that they also start to show another ability -
0:49:22 > 0:49:25empathy, the capacity to identify
0:49:25 > 0:49:28and understand the feelings of others.
0:49:44 > 0:49:48Is it possible that whales and dolphins could mirror
0:49:48 > 0:49:51the emotional development we see in human babies?
0:49:54 > 0:49:58Might they too be able to empathise with others?
0:50:10 > 0:50:15Off the eastern coast of Mexico - in Baja, California -
0:50:15 > 0:50:19there is one group of whales that behave in a way that suggests
0:50:19 > 0:50:21they ARE capable of feeling for others.
0:50:24 > 0:50:30Female grey whales gather each year in these warm, sheltered waters
0:50:30 > 0:50:33to give birth and to nurse their calves.
0:50:36 > 0:50:41But this whale nursery wasn't always a safe haven.
0:50:46 > 0:50:52Only 75 years ago, it was the site of many a massacre.
0:50:52 > 0:50:56Whalers could pick off the slow-moving greys with ease.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00The whales fought back.
0:51:00 > 0:51:02Their attacks were so ferocious
0:51:02 > 0:51:06that they became known as hard-headed devil fish.
0:51:11 > 0:51:13Even after hunting was banned,
0:51:13 > 0:51:17whales and humans remained wary of each other.
0:51:21 > 0:51:26Then something extraordinary happened.
0:51:29 > 0:51:35In 1972, a local fisherman, Pachico Mayoral,
0:51:35 > 0:51:39had an encounter he would never forget.
0:51:44 > 0:51:47TRANSLATION: On that fortunate day, I wasn't looking for whales.
0:51:47 > 0:51:49I was fishing, but then, unexpectedly,
0:51:49 > 0:51:52a whale came up alongside my boat
0:51:52 > 0:51:57and it started poking its head out of the water. I was afraid.
0:51:59 > 0:52:02Expecting the boat to be wrecked by the devil fish,
0:52:02 > 0:52:06Pachico was amazed when the whale gently
0:52:06 > 0:52:10nudged alongside his tiny boat and looked into his eyes.
0:52:12 > 0:52:18Overcoming his fear, Pachico reached out and stroked the whale.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27After the initial excitement, I calmed down.
0:52:27 > 0:52:31Then I realised that the whales, despite how powerful they are,
0:52:31 > 0:52:33can live alongside us humans.
0:52:37 > 0:52:39I think that the whales are not resentful
0:52:39 > 0:52:42and that they want to share their space with us.
0:52:44 > 0:52:48They're very intelligent, perhaps even comparable to us,
0:52:48 > 0:52:51because they have shown us feelings, forgiveness.
0:52:53 > 0:52:54In that one instant,
0:52:54 > 0:52:59Pachico's attitude towards whales was changed forever.
0:53:03 > 0:53:08I feel that despite their size, they have a heart to receive us,
0:53:08 > 0:53:12a heart that's even bigger than they are.
0:53:15 > 0:53:22Today, people from around the world come here to meet the 'friendlies'.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42That is a rainblow! SHE LAUGHS
0:53:44 > 0:53:45CHEERING
0:53:45 > 0:53:50Marine biologist Toni Frohoff has been studying the interactions
0:53:50 > 0:53:54between humans and whales here for 15 years.
0:53:54 > 0:53:58Nowhere else in the world really do you see this type of thing,
0:53:58 > 0:54:02it's completely unique in where the whales come right up to you,
0:54:02 > 0:54:05and they're doing it on their terms.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08They're living their lives here, nursing their young, giving birth,
0:54:08 > 0:54:12mating, but they still come up and they interact with boats like this,
0:54:12 > 0:54:16and there must be something that they're gaining
0:54:16 > 0:54:20emotionally, psychologically, from this type of interaction with people,
0:54:20 > 0:54:25and in the process, they are bringing out some of the best in people.
0:54:25 > 0:54:30The whale just came right up and there was nothing else to do but give him a kiss!
0:54:33 > 0:54:36I managed to kiss the baby about three times,
0:54:36 > 0:54:39and I thought life couldn't get better than that,
0:54:39 > 0:54:43until the mum came up right between my arms...and I got to hug her.
0:54:54 > 0:55:01Some of the older grey whales who would remember the days of whaling are still here today...
0:55:03 > 0:55:08..so what has brought about this astonishing change in their behaviour towards us?
0:55:10 > 0:55:16Not only have these ocean giants lost their fear of us,
0:55:16 > 0:55:20but they appear to be seeking us out and actively enjoying
0:55:20 > 0:55:22our company too.
0:55:24 > 0:55:25Emotional awareness
0:55:25 > 0:55:30is generally regarded as one of the highest forms of intelligence.
0:55:30 > 0:55:36But awareness of emotions in another species is even more impressive.
0:55:36 > 0:55:38That's amazing, amazing!
0:55:42 > 0:55:45The latest research on whales' and dolphins' brains
0:55:45 > 0:55:48has revealed something quite unexpected.
0:55:51 > 0:55:57Like us, they have spindle cells. These special brain cells were once
0:55:57 > 0:56:00thought to be unique to humans because of their link with language,
0:56:00 > 0:56:02self-awareness and compassion.
0:56:08 > 0:56:11Yet some whales and dolphins
0:56:11 > 0:56:14may have three times as many spindle cells as we do.
0:56:18 > 0:56:23What I'm observing defies a lot of what we have been taught, and...
0:56:23 > 0:56:28we are now having to teach that there is more, literally, beneath the surface
0:56:28 > 0:56:30of these whales than meets the eye.
0:56:59 > 0:57:03Through the world's leading scientists, we are learning so much
0:57:03 > 0:57:06about the remarkable intelligence of whales and dolphins.
0:57:11 > 0:57:14But there is something that science cannot yet explain...
0:57:18 > 0:57:22..our extraordinary connection with these magical creatures.
0:57:26 > 0:57:31They really invite you in their family. You can get right in there,
0:57:31 > 0:57:33you can share their moments, their intimate moments.
0:57:39 > 0:57:43You realise just how complicated the societies
0:57:43 > 0:57:44that these animals live in.
0:57:44 > 0:57:48But you also have to ask yourself, are these animals trying to talk to us?
0:57:53 > 0:57:59When you really look into the eye of a dolphin or a whale, you see something behind them,
0:57:59 > 0:58:00you see that they're sentient,
0:58:00 > 0:58:04they're assessing you, they're aware, they're self-conscious.
0:58:04 > 0:58:08Perhaps one day soon, we may learn to communicate
0:58:08 > 0:58:10with these mysterious creatures.
0:58:13 > 0:58:17And then maybe they will tell us themselves what is really going on
0:58:17 > 0:58:20in the minds of the ocean giants.