The Wild Side Page #4

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that's when we can

have accidents

This kind of

interaction between humans

and wild dolphins

occurs in very few places

For some, it's a

healing experience

For others a kind of mystical,

New Age encounter

But to the hungry dolphins it's

mostly about getting a fish

If there's a lesson here

for the calf it's that

a dolphin must always

be inventive in finding food

For out in the wild

it's no easy task

Calves are dependent on their mothers

for some three to six years

During this period

the young dolphin must learn

how to fend for itself

Like humans, dolphins are not

born with the skills to survive

The learning process may start

through simple mimicry

The calf will imitate

its mother's every pose

posture and action

If she stands with her

tail in the sand

the calf will follow suit

Even though it may not have

an inkling of why she's doing so

Dolphins are opportunistic feeders

and the young must learn

many extremely difficult

and creative

hunting techniques

The mother is using

sound in a way

the calf may not be

capable of just yet

The buzzing sound is a series

of rapid fire clicks

part of a sophisticated sensory

system called echolocation

The sound signals

penetrate the sands

then echo back, giving a clear

indication of what lies below

It's like X-ray vision

capable of seeing through

almost any porous medium

Dolphin calves can create

sounds shortly after birth

mostly whistles

used for communication

The clicks required for echolocation

may take months to develop

Like most intelligent

predators

dolphins learn to hunt

by making a game out of it

This trunkfish is

not part of their diet

but for the young dolphins

it's a target to practice on

It takes an adult to

demonstrate proper form

Calves often wander away

from their mothers

sometimes up to half a mile

Though it can be dangerous

taking risks is an

important part of learning

These young dolphins

may not very adept

but at least they're

catching fish on their own

The mortality rate for

young dolphins is very high

In Shark Bay

fifty percent don't

survive their first year

Much depends on how

quickly the calf

can master new skills

for survival

A mother leads her calf on

strenuous runs in the shallows

The calf can

barely keep up

This is basic training

for a difficult

and dangerous

fishing strategy

It's a skill passed on from

generation to generation

The techniques that

dolphin calves learn

are often unique

to where they live

The steep cliffs of Cape Peron

block the prevailing winds

creating calm

clear waters along the beach.

Shallows can be dangerous

places for dolphins

Strandings are not

uncommon and here

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