by Hannah Greenfield Tuesday, 5 March 2013

A study of bottlenose dolphins has discovered that they call each other by ‘names’ just like humans do. 

Instead of using words, the dolphins use whistles or clicking noises to call each other. Each dolphin has its own signature whistle, which the others can use to call them if they get separated or lost.

Dolphins are the only animals other than humans known to do this.

Dolphins also use the whistles to communicate among themselves and identify themselves to other animals. A dolphin whistle can be heard by other dolphins up to 20km away.

The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

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6 Comments

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  Lucy W (Age 11) wrote on Friday, 15 March 2013 @ 10:06

  That's sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cute.

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  Ruby W (Age 11) wrote on Saturday, 16 March 2013 @ 17:09

  cool

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  Kerysmae M (Age 9) wrote on Friday, 22 March 2013 @ 18:32

  i love dolphins

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  Ella H (Age 10) wrote on Tuesday, 26 March 2013 @ 08:07

  Cute

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  Georgia-Anne M (Age 8) wrote on Thursday, 28 March 2013 @ 08:30

  Woooooooooooow!!!!! There so cute!!!

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  Georgia-Anne M (Age 8) wrote on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 @ 10:17

  I love dolphins!!!!