human friendship & dolphin alliances

[wet]

Connor and colleagues note that

Only humans and Shark Bay bottlenose dolphins are known to have multiple-level male alliances within a social network. It is unlikely a coincidence that humans and dolphins also have in common the largest brains, relative to body size, among mammals. Our evidence for a third level of alliance formation in the dolphins should refocus attention on the potential cognitive burdens for individuals embedded in such a system, where decisions at one level may have impacts at other levels.

What Can Dolphins Tell Us About The Evolution of Friendship? : The Thoughtful Animal

 

[cdavis]

My Alzheimer's is getting worse, must be all that breath holding. I don't remember doing any of this research.

Connor

 

[wet]

Yeah, I couldn't figure out how you could be in FL and Australia at the same time... that's a long swim