Dolphin Communicates With Divers Asking for Help

01/24/2013

Check out this video shot this week off the coast of Hawaii featuring an odd interspecies interaction.  A bottlenose dolphin entangled in fishing gear appeared during a tourist night dive, apparently seeking the help of the divers.

The divers obliged by removing a fishing hook from the animals flesh and untangling it from fishing line.  The dolphin waited patiently, seeming to know exactly what was going on.

What do you think?  Was this dolphin asking for help and communicating across the species barrier?  It's illegal to approach wild whales and dolphins in this way, to protect the animals from wreckless humans. Is breaking those laws justifiable in a case like this?

 

Watch more dolphin videos from Animal Planet!

See my TV appearances and Adopt a Dolphin with National Wildlife Federation.