DOLPHINS have big brains, social structures, names, distinct personalities, and are probably self-aware. For these reasons and more, one group of scientists last year called for them to be classified as “non-human persons” and accorded basic rights. This proposal is likely to be re-examined now there is a possibility that we might actually be able to translate the whistles and squeaks of wild dolphins (see “Talk with a dolphin via underwater translation machine”).
The work will give us a clearer picture of the mental lives of dolphins. The prospect of two-way communication looks distant but, if successful, would be mind-blowing. What will dolphins say? Will it lead to a more humane relationship, or a more exploitative one? Whatever they do tell us, an interspecies “conversation” would be an unparalleled contribution to the debate about animal rights.
