Dolphins are famously one of the most intelligent species on our planet, which is probably why the US Navy have famously used them to keep an eye on US nuclear stockpiles. Part of that involved strapping cameras to the dolphins’ heads and the results of doing so have provided some incredible new insights about the marine mammals.
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00:00Dolphins are famously one of the most intelligent species on our planet, which is probably why
00:08the U.S. Navy have used them to keep an eye on U.S. nuclear stockpiles.
00:12They do this by training them to conduct undersea surveillance in clear mines, and part of that
00:16involves strapping cameras to the dolphins' heads, with the results providing some incredible
00:20new insights about the marine mammals.
00:22Experts say this new footage is changing the way we're understanding how the creatures
00:25feed and communicate, finding that while they hunt, they clicked with their echolocation
00:29ability the whole time, with the researchers noting as part of this study, quote,
00:37As dolphins hunted, they clicked almost constantly at intervals of 20 to 50 milliseconds, adding
00:42that when they approached their prey, the intervals of the clicks shortened into a buzz
00:46and then a squeal, with those sounds lingering until the prey was swallowed.
00:49However, the researchers also concluded the dolphins used sight to track down their meal,
00:54and the prey was more diverse than expected as well, with the researchers writing that
00:57the dolphins tracked down and consumed eight highly venomous sea snakes, showing no signs
01:02of illness afterwards.