The Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, is the long body of water separating Baja California from the rest of Mexico. It’s famous for its abundant and diverse marine life and in particular, whales and dolphins.
Dolphins are extremely intelligent animals. Their large brains include some structures that are otherwise only found in humans. They’ve been observed learning, teaching, cooperating, playing, planning, and even grieving. Dolphins are also believed to possess self-awareness, always a sign of braininess. They’re highly social animals, normally living in a pod of about a dozen (the exact number varies by species). But in locations with plentiful food, “superpods” consisting of hundreds of dolphins can form. One further sign of how intelligent dolphin are is their curiosity. In the video posted below, you’ll see an amazing combination of a superpod and dolphin curiosity.
In the video, a young woman is enjoying some wakeboarding on the beautiful Sea of Cortez. Wakeboarding, incidentally, is like waterskiing, but using a kind of short surfboard instead of skis. The weather and water couldn’t be better. But then things really take a turn for the magical. A huge pod of dolphins appears and gradually makes its way toward her. This strange creature gliding across the water at high speed couldn’t help but arouse the dolphins’ curiosity. When she first sees a dolphin pop out of the water in front of her, the incredible thing is that she managed to stay upright! Someone on the boat comments that the video will be going on YouTube. It’s got 21 million views and counting.
Seeing dolphins in the wild is an amazing experience. If you ever have this good fortune, be sure to mind your manners. Some countries have strict laws about human interaction with marine mammals.
Were you wowed by this encounter with so many curious dolphins? Ever had an encounter with these remarkable creatures yourself? Tell us all about it in the comments at Facebook and be sure to like and share!
