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BEGIN ACTIVITY 4 WHAT'S THE CHATTER? p12 of 28 http://www.dolphinsfilm.com/FSFilm.htm
http://www.dolphinsfilm.com/FSFilm.htm
“Sometimes I dream
I’m swimming along, alone,
when I hear dolphins near me,
and I understand
what they’re saying to each other…
I can understand their language.
It’s farfetched, I know…
What can I say?…
That’s my dream.”
—Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski
http://www.dolphinsfilm.com/FSFilm.htm
Underwater Cinematography
From islands in the Pacific to the coastline of Alaska; and from the Magellan Straits to the Red Sea, giant screen audiences have toured the world's oceans through the lens of MacGillivray Freeman Films. At least one-third of their nearly two-dozen large-format films contain sequences on or in the ocean.
For Dolphins and their other underwater film projects, MacGillivray Freeman mounted the large-format camera on boat bows, sterns and masts. Film teams also mount cameras on the front of "scooters," torpedo-shaped vehicles steered by a camera operator. The scooters, which travel about three miles per hour, are narrow, so the camera can move through tighter spaces and get closer to the surface of reefs, giving audiences the feeling that they're "soaring" through the water environment. Most of the underwater camera movement in any one film, however, is accomplished by the cinematographer himself. And to the cinematographer and his crew, the large-format camera is affectionately named, "the pig."
Large-format cameras weigh 100 pounds. Filming underwater adds another 150 pounds for the camera's waterproof housing. True, filming underwater lightens the load, but the sheer bulk of the camera makes it very difficult to maneuver. Size generates momentum and currents and waves buffet the camera, making it harder to control than smaller cameras.
The film magazines, which each weigh 10 pounds, contain only three minutes of film. Greg MacGillivray, the Producer/Director of Dolphins, chose to film several of the underwater sequences in slow motion to capture the beauty of dolphin physiology and movement. This actually speeds up the film going through the camera. Instead of 24 frames per second, the film charges through the camera at 48 frames per second. A three-minute film magazine now yields just 90 seconds of action.
Those logistical nightmares are present no matter where a large-format cinematographer is shooting. Dolphins complicate everything. MacGillivray Freeman cinematographer and technology director Brad Ohlund says, "Dolphins are fast-moving, elusive animals. Filming them means you're in a situation that requires rapid deployment of the camera." Normally, large-format cinematographers use winches to get the 250-pound camera in and out of the water, but a winch is too slow for dolphin photography, so the film team built ramps on the boats to push the camera into the water.
One of the most memorable moments for cinematographer Bob Talbot was not when he photographed a beautifully poised dolphin in dramatic lighting; it was when the camera and housing slid down the boat transom, into the water, narrowly missing the waiting cinematographer's head! "I could only think...wow, wouldn't that have been a classic way for me to go," he later joked (much later).
Another challenge for the underwater film team in the Bahamas was to be in clear water with cloudless skies so there would be enough light for the scene. "We were jumping in holes between clouds," described Talbot. Fortunately, most of the cinematography for the film occurred within 30 feet of the ocean's surface. Because natural lighting extends to those depths, artificial lighting was not necessary. Dolphins would be virtually impossible to track with light beams anyway, as their movement through the water is quick and unpredictable.
Off the coast of Argentina, another experienced underwater cinematographer, Paul Atkins and his sound recordist, producer and wife Grace Atkins, declared a new-found respect for the large-format underwater camera: Miss Piggy. "Filming in the large-format is dramatically different than 16mm or 35mm," shared Grace. "The bulkiness of the format requires more than twice the cases and equipment than the smaller film formats. When you're traveling to remote locations and filming underwater, the details of the shoot become mind-numbing."
After searching twelve hours each day for wild dolphins, and battling "Miss Piggy" in 90-second increments, the crew then spends four or more hours each evening cleaning the salt and sand off of all of the equipment to prepare for the next day. Film teams followed this routine for four weeks at each location in the film. They'll all say it's worthwhile. Each underwater cinematographer knows that their exquisitely beautiful images will appear on the biggest screens in the world, immersing audiences in an environment that these cinematographers love, want to share, and have dedicated their lives to help preserve.
On Location
Elbow Cay, Abaco, The Bahamas
Tiny Elbow Cay (pronounced "key"), just off the eastern coast of Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas, set the stage for filming Dolphins. Located in the Bermuda Triangle and surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Sea of Abaco, Elbow Cay's crystalline, turquoise waters were ideal for filming Atlantic spotted dolphins in the large-format. The clear waters are also ideal for observing and studying dolphins. Even though the Bahamas are relatively flat, the shallow waters surrounding the islands offer some protection from storms. These shallow waters also provide dolphins with a place for socializing, rest, and protection from deep-water sharks and the whims of oceanic waters. Often the dolphins are seen heading out in the late afternoon to feed in deep water.
Following are notes from the film crew:
We should be on vacation! Working in the Bahamas? We must be nuts! This location is spectacular. The three-mile long and narrow island absolutely sparkles in the blue-green waters of the Little Bahamas Bank. Only 350 people call Elbow Cay's Hope Town home, and it wasn't long before everyone in town knew we were here. Nineteenth century, pastel-colored cottages line Hope Town's very narrow streets. Charming, unless you need to transport five tons of camera equipment through streets that only permit bicycles and electric golf carts! Fortunately, our production crew wrangled help from the locals on foot and even secured use of the garbage trucks on their days off. We didn't go to film school for nothin'!
It's not the heat, it's the humidity! Nope. It's the heat. Did we mention the heat? We're experiencing record temperatures here. 100 degrees Fahrenheit! Fortunately, our cooperative, energetic and smiling scientists are keeping their cool. Out there in that beautiful water they don't look uncomfortable at all.
We got some great shots of dolphins leaping behind and next to the boat. We shot super slow-motion -- up to 96 frames per second -- so the audience should really be able to see how amazing and beautiful these animals are. If we can't be dolphins playing in the water, or scientists happily studying dolphins, maybe being a sweaty film producer isn't so bad after all.
See also: Underwater Cinematography
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patagonia, Argentina
For the final sequences of Dolphins, the MFF film crew journeyed to Puerto Piramides, located in the Patagonia region of Argentina, to film scientists studying dusky dolphins in the waters of Golfo Nuevo. An old fishing town, Puerto Piramides is a small village with one main road, about 200 residents, one motel and a few cabanas for rent. Visitors can take tour boats for dolphin-watching trips but there is no public swimming allowed with the dolphins. Our film crew and scientists obtained a special permit to film and study the dolphins and were accompanied by a conservation officer from the area.
Puerto Piramides proved to be an incredible location, but it was affectionately referred to by our crew as "two hours from nowhere" for its remote locale. It was a challenge to film because of the winds, which were more like hair-raising gales capable of making a placid sea fraught with foam in under thirty minutes. Between the wind and the cold water, the location proved a stark contrast to the shoot in the Bahamas.
Following are notes from Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski:
Patagonia reminds me of west Texas...very dry and flat with short and spiny-looking bushes. I very much enjoyed the scenes, especially since we were on the water each day.
The dusky dolphins are FAST! The spotted and bottlenose dolphins I have studied seem like old folks compared to the speedy duskies. The anchovies were not as prevalent as expected but the team did observe feeding on several fish groups -- just not gigantic aggregations that seem to invite not only dolphins but sea lions, penguins and birds of a variety of species numbering in the thousands. Being able to chat with Bernd, Alejandro and others about the duskies' underwater actions, immediately after observing their behaviors, made what I do, my work, feel much less isolating as compared to the work of my colleagues. The dusky dolphins were very inquisitive and came very close. Many have at least some sort of body marking or scarring to facilitate individual identification. WAY COOL! I definitely can gather lots of data on communication among individuals and already have data to compare with my work on spotted and bottlenose dolphins...my trip was a complete success!
See also: Underwater Cinematography
MacGillivray Freeman Films
Profile and History
MacGillivray Freeman Films is the world's most prolific independent producer of giant screen films. This relatively small company is creator of the biggest-grossing documentary film ever made (To Fly!), the fastest grossing large-format film ever produced (Everest), and the 1995 Oscar®-nominated The Living Sea.
Dolphins is the company's twentieth effort in the 15 perforation / 70mm motion picture (IMAX®) format. "Dolphins is an important film," relays President Greg MacGillivray, "because our company's mission is to promote the health of the world ocean. I grew up on southern California's beaches: surfing, sailing, snorkeling and diving. The ocean is my life, so I hope my films inspire people to love the ocean as much as I do, and that they'll strive to treat it better."
Dolphins premieres five years after The Living Sea, MacGillivray's first ocean tribute in the large-format. The Living Sea became one of the most popular films in the format, and still draws crowds at theatres worldwide. "It's a dream come true," echoes MacGillivray.
MacGillivray started his company with Jim Freeman. They met in the early 1960's when both were focusing their lens on the art and sport of surfing. Together they produced several short films, including the surf cult classic, Five Summer Stories. The two gained critical success as they ventured into commercials, corporate promotional pieces and Hollywood motion pictures. Jim Freeman’s photography for the documentary Sentinels of Silence helped the film win two Academy Awards® for Best Documentary Short and Best Live Action Short in 1971, and the team’s camera work for Jonathan Livingston Seagull helped the film receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography in 1973. The Towering Inferno, for which they supplied aerial photography, received a 1974 Oscar in cinematography and was that year's highest grossing motion picture.
The team's aerial expertise prompted an offer from the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum to produce the bicentennial film for the museum's new IMAX theatre, the first of its kind in the United States. By 1976, MacGillivray and Freeman were set to release their inaugural giant screen production, To Fly! Just two days before the premiere, the auspicious event turned tragic. On a test shoot in California, Freeman died in a helicopter accident. "I really didn't know if I could continue filming without Jim," shares MacGillivray, "He was a talented filmmaker and my best friend."
A tribute to both their talent, after almost 25 years To Fly! is still the most popular film at the Air and Space Museum and continues to play in other theatres, as well. Selected by the Librarian of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry, To Fly! joined other classics like Citizen Kane and Gone with the Wind as one of the most important films in 100 years of American filmmaking history.
MacGillivray and his company are responsible for several technical innovations for the IMAX® format, including developing specialty cameras and photographic techniques. Each add to the visceral experience unique to the format. The company mounted the giant camera on a jet dragster, a whitewater kayak, a downhill ski racer, the Blue Angels' F/A 18 jet aircraft, and inside the P-3, a research plane that flies into hurricanes. They even placed their camera directly in the path of an avalanche to achieve a shot with maximum impact.
In 1996, a MacGillivray Freeman climbing and film production team, led by mountaineers David Breashears, Robert Schauer and Ed Viesturs, photographed from the summit of Mt. Everest with a lightweight, all-weather camera designed for the extreme Himalayan conditions. This 42-pound camera was still the heaviest ever to photograph on the world's tallest mountain. Released in 1998, Everest quickly toppled several records in the large-format industry. For the first time, a giant-screen film ranked among the top ten-earning films on the North American box office charts.
For more about MacGillivray Freeman Films, visit www.macfreefilms.com
ABOUT THE GIANT SCREEN FORMAT
Dolphins is produced and exhibited on the world's most advanced film format. Imax Corporation and Iwerks Entertainment manufacture 15 perforation/70mm (15/70) film projection systems currently installed at approximately 200 giant screen theatres internationally.
IMAX® motion picture systems, invented and developed by Imax Corporation, display images of unsurpassed size, clarity and impact. The images are enhanced by a superb specially-designed six-channel, multi-speaker sound system and projected onto giant rectangular screens, up to eight stories high and, in the case of IMAX Dome® theatres, onto domes as large as 27metres (88'- 5") in diameter.
The 15/70 image is 10 times larger than a conventional 35mm frame and three times bigger than a standard 70mm frame. The sheer size of a 15/70 film frame, combined with the unique IMAX or iWERKS™ projection technology, is the key to the extraordinary sharpness and clarity of Dolphins and other MacGillivray Freeman films.
Sound is critical to the IMAX Experience®. The IMAX six-channel, high-fidelity motion picture sound system, with sub-bass, is manufactured by Sonics Associates Inc., a world leader in sound system design. The Sonics Proportional Point Source Loudspeaker system, specifically designed for IMAX theatres, eliminates variations in volume and sound quality over the theatre seating area. This allows all members of the audience to experience superb sound quality regardless of where they may be seated.
IMAX projectors are the most advanced, highest-precision and most powerful projectors ever built. The key to their superior performance and reliability is the unique "Rolling Loop" film movement. The Rolling Loop advances the film horizontally in a smooth, wave-like motion. During projection, each frame is positioned on fixed registration pins and the film is held firmly against the rear element of the lens by a vacuum. As a result, the picture and focus steadiness are far above normal projection standards and provide outstanding image clarity.
The IMAX system has its roots in EXPO ‘67 in Montreal, Canada where multi-screen films were the hit of the fair. A small group of Canadian filmmakers/ entrepreneurs (Graeme Ferguson, Roman Kroitor and Robert Kerr), who had made some of those popular films, decided to design a new system using a single, powerful projector, rather than the cumbersome multiple projectors used at that time. The result: the IMAX motion picture projection system which would revolutionize giant-screen cinema. IMAX technology premiered at the Fuji Pavilion, EXPO ‘70 in Osaka, Japan. The first permanent IMAX projection system was installed at Ontario Place's Cinesphere in Toronto in 1971. OMNIMAX® debuted at the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theatre in San Diego in 1973.
Imax leases IMAX motion picture projection systems to specially designed theatres worldwide. As of April 1999, 185 permanent theatres operate in 25 countries. There is a backlog of more than 80 theatres scheduled to open in 15 different countries during the next few years.
There are approximately 150 films in the medium film library. Educational and entertaining, these films take viewers where they are unable to go: to explore the hidden secrets of natural wonders like Mt. Everest, the inside of an atom or the magic of space.
IMAX ®, OMNIMAX® and IMAX Experience® are registered trademarks of Imax Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
IWERKS ™ is a registered trademark of iWERKS Entertainment, Burbank, California USA.
ABOUT THE GIANT SCREEN FORMAT
Dolphins is produced and exhibited on the world's most advanced film format. Imax Corporation and Iwerks Entertainment manufacture 15 perforation/70mm (15/70) film projection systems currently installed at approximately 200 giant screen theatres internationally.
IMAX® motion picture systems, invented and developed by Imax Corporation, display images of unsurpassed size, clarity and impact. The images are enhanced by a superb specially-designed six-channel, multi-speaker sound system and projected onto giant rectangular screens, up to eight stories high and, in the case of IMAX Dome® theatres, onto domes as large as 27metres (88'- 5") in diameter.
The 15/70 image is 10 times larger than a conventional 35mm frame and three times bigger than a standard 70mm frame. The sheer size of a 15/70 film frame, combined with the unique IMAX or iWERKS™ projection technology, is the key to the extraordinary sharpness and clarity of Dolphins and other MacGillivray Freeman films.
Sound is critical to the IMAX Experience®. The IMAX six-channel, high-fidelity motion picture sound system, with sub-bass, is manufactured by Sonics Associates Inc., a world leader in sound system design. The Sonics Proportional Point Source Loudspeaker system, specifically designed for IMAX theatres, eliminates variations in volume and sound quality over the theatre seating area. This allows all members of the audience to experience superb sound quality regardless of where they may be seated.
IMAX projectors are the most advanced, highest-precision and most powerful projectors ever built. The key to their superior performance and reliability is the unique "Rolling Loop" film movement. The Rolling Loop advances the film horizontally in a smooth, wave-like motion. During projection, each frame is positioned on fixed registration pins and the film is held firmly against the rear element of the lens by a vacuum. As a result, the picture and focus steadiness are far above normal projection standards and provide outstanding image clarity.
The IMAX system has its roots in EXPO ‘67 in Montreal, Canada where multi-screen films were the hit of the fair. A small group of Canadian filmmakers/ entrepreneurs (Graeme Ferguson, Roman Kroitor and Robert Kerr), who had made some of those popular films, decided to design a new system using a single, powerful projector, rather than the cumbersome multiple projectors used at that time. The result: the IMAX motion picture projection system which would revolutionize giant-screen cinema. IMAX technology premiered at the Fuji Pavilion, EXPO ‘70 in Osaka, Japan. The first permanent IMAX projection system was installed at Ontario Place's Cinesphere in Toronto in 1971. OMNIMAX® debuted at the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theatre in San Diego in 1973.
Imax leases IMAX motion picture projection systems to specially designed theatres worldwide. As of April 1999, 185 permanent theatres operate in 25 countries. There is a backlog of more than 80 theatres scheduled to open in 15 different countries during the next few years.
There are approximately 150 films in the medium film library. Educational and entertaining, these films take viewers where they are unable to go: to explore the hidden secrets of natural wonders like Mt. Everest, the inside of an atom or the magic of space.
IMAX ®, OMNIMAX® and IMAX Experience® are registered trademarks of Imax Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
IWERKS ™ is a registered trademark of iWERKS Entertainment, Burbank, California USA.
ABOUT THE GIANT SCREEN FORMAT
Dolphins is produced and exhibited on the world's most advanced film format. Imax Corporation and Iwerks Entertainment manufacture 15 perforation/70mm (15/70) film projection systems currently installed at approximately 200 giant screen theatres internationally.
IMAX® motion picture systems, invented and developed by Imax Corporation, display images of unsurpassed size, clarity and impact. The images are enhanced by a superb specially-designed six-channel, multi-speaker sound system and projected onto giant rectangular screens, up to eight stories high and, in the case of IMAX Dome® theatres, onto domes as large as 27metres (88'- 5") in diameter.
The 15/70 image is 10 times larger than a conventional 35mm frame and three times bigger than a standard 70mm frame. The sheer size of a 15/70 film frame, combined with the unique IMAX or iWERKS™ projection technology, is the key to the extraordinary sharpness and clarity of Dolphins and other MacGillivray Freeman films.
Sound is critical to the IMAX Experience®. The IMAX six-channel, high-fidelity motion picture sound system, with sub-bass, is manufactured by Sonics Associates Inc., a world leader in sound system design. The Sonics Proportional Point Source Loudspeaker system, specifically designed for IMAX theatres, eliminates variations in volume and sound quality over the theatre seating area. This allows all members of the audience to experience superb sound quality regardless of where they may be seated.
IMAX projectors are the most advanced, highest-precision and most powerful projectors ever built. The key to their superior performance and reliability is the unique "Rolling Loop" film movement. The Rolling Loop advances the film horizontally in a smooth, wave-like motion. During projection, each frame is positioned on fixed registration pins and the film is held firmly against the rear element of the lens by a vacuum. As a result, the picture and focus steadiness are far above normal projection standards and provide outstanding image clarity.
The IMAX system has its roots in EXPO ‘67 in Montreal, Canada where multi-screen films were the hit of the fair. A small group of Canadian filmmakers/ entrepreneurs (Graeme Ferguson, Roman Kroitor and Robert Kerr), who had made some of those popular films, decided to design a new system using a single, powerful projector, rather than the cumbersome multiple projectors used at that time. The result: the IMAX motion picture projection system which would revolutionize giant-screen cinema. IMAX technology premiered at the Fuji Pavilion, EXPO ‘70 in Osaka, Japan. The first permanent IMAX projection system was installed at Ontario Place's Cinesphere in Toronto in 1971. OMNIMAX® debuted at the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theatre in San Diego in 1973.
Imax leases IMAX motion picture projection systems to specially designed theatres worldwide. As of April 1999, 185 permanent theatres operate in 25 countries. There is a backlog of more than 80 theatres scheduled to open in 15 different countries during the next few years.
There are approximately 150 films in the medium film library. Educational and entertaining, these films take viewers where they are unable to go: to explore the hidden secrets of natural wonders like Mt. Everest, the inside of an atom or the magic of space.
IMAX ®, OMNIMAX® and IMAX Experience® are registered trademarks of Imax Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
IWERKS ™ is a registered trademark of iWERKS Entertainment, Burbank, California USA.
ABOUT THE GIANT SCREEN FORMAT
Dolphins is produced and exhibited on the world's most advanced film format. Imax Corporation and Iwerks Entertainment manufacture 15 perforation/70mm (15/70) film projection systems currently installed at approximately 200 giant screen theatres internationally.
IMAX® motion picture systems, invented and developed by Imax Corporation, display images of unsurpassed size, clarity and impact. The images are enhanced by a superb specially-designed six-channel, multi-speaker sound system and projected onto giant rectangular screens, up to eight stories high and, in the case of IMAX Dome® theatres, onto domes as large as 27metres (88'- 5") in diameter.
The 15/70 image is 10 times larger than a conventional 35mm frame and three times bigger than a standard 70mm frame. The sheer size of a 15/70 film frame, combined with the unique IMAX or iWERKS™ projection technology, is the key to the extraordinary sharpness and clarity of Dolphins and other MacGillivray Freeman films.
Sound is critical to the IMAX Experience®. The IMAX six-channel, high-fidelity motion picture sound system, with sub-bass, is manufactured by Sonics Associates Inc., a world leader in sound system design. The Sonics Proportional Point Source Loudspeaker system, specifically designed for IMAX theatres, eliminates variations in volume and sound quality over the theatre seating area. This allows all members of the audience to experience superb sound quality regardless of where they may be seated.
IMAX projectors are the most advanced, highest-precision and most powerful projectors ever built. The key to their superior performance and reliability is the unique "Rolling Loop" film movement. The Rolling Loop advances the film horizontally in a smooth, wave-like motion. During projection, each frame is positioned on fixed registration pins and the film is held firmly against the rear element of the lens by a vacuum. As a result, the picture and focus steadiness are far above normal projection standards and provide outstanding image clarity.
The IMAX system has its roots in EXPO ‘67 in Montreal, Canada where multi-screen films were the hit of the fair. A small group of Canadian filmmakers/ entrepreneurs (Graeme Ferguson, Roman Kroitor and Robert Kerr), who had made some of those popular films, decided to design a new system using a single, powerful projector, rather than the cumbersome multiple projectors used at that time. The result: the IMAX motion picture projection system which would revolutionize giant-screen cinema. IMAX technology premiered at the Fuji Pavilion, EXPO ‘70 in Osaka, Japan. The first permanent IMAX projection system was installed at Ontario Place's Cinesphere in Toronto in 1971. OMNIMAX® debuted at the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theatre in San Diego in 1973.
Imax leases IMAX motion picture projection systems to specially designed theatres worldwide. As of April 1999, 185 permanent theatres operate in 25 countries. There is a backlog of more than 80 theatres scheduled to open in 15 different countries during the next few years.
There are approximately 150 films in the medium film library. Educational and entertaining, these films take viewers where they are unable to go: to explore the hidden secrets of natural wonders like Mt. Everest, the inside of an atom or the magic of space.
IMAX ®, OMNIMAX® and IMAX Experience® are registered trademarks of Imax Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
IWERKS ™ is a registered trademark of iWERKS Entertainment, Burbank, California USA.
ABOUT THE GIANT SCREEN FORMAT
Dolphins is produced and exhibited on the world's most advanced film format. Imax Corporation and Iwerks Entertainment manufacture 15 perforation/70mm (15/70) film projection systems currently installed at approximately 200 giant screen theatres internationally.
IMAX® motion picture systems, invented and developed by Imax Corporation, display images of unsurpassed size, clarity and impact. The images are enhanced by a superb specially-designed six-channel, multi-speaker sound system and projected onto giant rectangular screens, up to eight stories high and, in the case of IMAX Dome® theatres, onto domes as large as 27metres (88'- 5") in diameter.
The 15/70 image is 10 times larger than a conventional 35mm frame and three times bigger than a standard 70mm frame. The sheer size of a 15/70 film frame, combined with the unique IMAX or iWERKS™ projection technology, is the key to the extraordinary sharpness and clarity of Dolphins and other MacGillivray Freeman films.
Sound is critical to the IMAX Experience®. The IMAX six-channel, high-fidelity motion picture sound system, with sub-bass, is manufactured by Sonics Associates Inc., a world leader in sound system design. The Sonics Proportional Point Source Loudspeaker system, specifically designed for IMAX theatres, eliminates variations in volume and sound quality over the theatre seating area. This allows all members of the audience to experience superb sound quality regardless of where they may be seated.
IMAX projectors are the most advanced, highest-precision and most powerful projectors ever built. The key to their superior performance and reliability is the unique "Rolling Loop" film movement. The Rolling Loop advances the film horizontally in a smooth, wave-like motion. During projection, each frame is positioned on fixed registration pins and the film is held firmly against the rear element of the lens by a vacuum. As a result, the picture and focus steadiness are far above normal projection standards and provide outstanding image clarity.
The IMAX system has its roots in EXPO ‘67 in Montreal, Canada where multi-screen films were the hit of the fair. A small group of Canadian filmmakers/ entrepreneurs (Graeme Ferguson, Roman Kroitor and Robert Kerr), who had made some of those popular films, decided to design a new system using a single, powerful projector, rather than the cumbersome multiple projectors used at that time. The result: the IMAX motion picture projection system which would revolutionize giant-screen cinema. IMAX technology premiered at the Fuji Pavilion, EXPO ‘70 in Osaka, Japan. The first permanent IMAX projection system was installed at Ontario Place's Cinesphere in Toronto in 1971. OMNIMAX® debuted at the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theatre in San Diego in 1973.
Imax leases IMAX motion picture projection systems to specially designed theatres worldwide. As of April 1999, 185 permanent theatres operate in 25 countries. There is a backlog of more than 80 theatres scheduled to open in 15 different countries during the next few years.
There are approximately 150 films in the medium film library. Educational and entertaining, these films take viewers where they are unable to go: to explore the hidden secrets of natural wonders like Mt. Everest, the inside of an atom or the magic of space.
IMAX ®, OMNIMAX® and IMAX Experience® are registered trademarks of Imax Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
IWERKS ™ is a registered trademark of iWERKS Entertainment, Burbank, California USA.
ABOUT THE GIANT SCREEN FORMAT
Dolphins is produced and exhibited on the world's most advanced film format. Imax Corporation and Iwerks Entertainment manufacture 15 perforation/70mm (15/70) film projection systems currently installed at approximately 200 giant screen theatres internationally.
IMAX® motion picture systems, invented and developed by Imax Corporation, display images of unsurpassed size, clarity and impact. The images are enhanced by a superb specially-designed six-channel, multi-speaker sound system and projected onto giant rectangular screens, up to eight stories high and, in the case of IMAX Dome® theatres, onto domes as large as 27metres (88'- 5") in diameter.
The 15/70 image is 10 times larger than a conventional 35mm frame and three times bigger than a standard 70mm frame. The sheer size of a 15/70 film frame, combined with the unique IMAX or iWERKS™ projection technology, is the key to the extraordinary sharpness and clarity of Dolphins and other MacGillivray Freeman films.
Sound is critical to the IMAX Experience®. The IMAX six-channel, high-fidelity motion picture sound system, with sub-bass, is manufactured by Sonics Associates Inc., a world leader in sound system design. The Sonics Proportional Point Source Loudspeaker system, specifically designed for IMAX theatres, eliminates variations in volume and sound quality over the theatre seating area. This allows all members of the audience to experience superb sound quality regardless of where they may be seated.
IMAX projectors are the most advanced, highest-precision and most powerful projectors ever built. The key to their superior performance and reliability is the unique "Rolling Loop" film movement. The Rolling Loop advances the film horizontally in a smooth, wave-like motion. During projection, each frame is positioned on fixed registration pins and the film is held firmly against the rear element of the lens by a vacuum. As a result, the picture and focus steadiness are far above normal projection standards and provide outstanding image clarity.
The IMAX system has its roots in EXPO ‘67 in Montreal, Canada where multi-screen films were the hit of the fair. A small group of Canadian filmmakers/ entrepreneurs (Graeme Ferguson, Roman Kroitor and Robert Kerr), who had made some of those popular films, decided to design a new system using a single, powerful projector, rather than the cumbersome multiple projectors used at that time. The result: the IMAX motion picture projection system which would revolutionize giant-screen cinema. IMAX technology premiered at the Fuji Pavilion, EXPO ‘70 in Osaka, Japan. The first permanent IMAX projection system was installed at Ontario Place's Cinesphere in Toronto in 1971. OMNIMAX® debuted at the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theatre in San Diego in 1973.
Imax leases IMAX motion picture projection systems to specially designed theatres worldwide. As of April 1999, 185 permanent theatres operate in 25 countries. There is a backlog of more than 80 theatres scheduled to open in 15 different countries during the next few years.
There are approximately 150 films in the medium film library. Educational and entertaining, these films take viewers where they are unable to go: to explore the hidden secrets of natural wonders like Mt. Everest, the inside of an atom or the magic of space.
IMAX ®, OMNIMAX® and IMAX Experience® are registered trademarks of Imax Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
IWERKS ™ is a registered trademark of iWERKS Entertainment, Burbank, California USA.
ABOUT THE GIANT SCREEN FORMAT
Dolphins is produced and exhibited on the world's most advanced film format. Imax Corporation and Iwerks Entertainment manufacture 15 perforation/70mm (15/70) film projection systems currently installed at approximately 200 giant screen theatres internationally.
IMAX® motion picture systems, invented and developed by Imax Corporation, display images of unsurpassed size, clarity and impact. The images are enhanced by a superb specially-designed six-channel, multi-speaker sound system and projected onto giant rectangular screens, up to eight stories high and, in the case of IMAX Dome® theatres, onto domes as large as 27metres (88'- 5") in diameter.
The 15/70 image is 10 times larger than a conventional 35mm frame and three times bigger than a standard 70mm frame. The sheer size of a 15/70 film frame, combined with the unique IMAX or iWERKS™ projection technology, is the key to the extraordinary sharpness and clarity of Dolphins and other MacGillivray Freeman films.
Sound is critical to the IMAX Experience®. The IMAX six-channel, high-fidelity motion picture sound system, with sub-bass, is manufactured by Sonics Associates Inc., a world leader in sound system design. The Sonics Proportional Point Source Loudspeaker system, specifically designed for IMAX theatres, eliminates variations in volume and sound quality over the theatre seating area. This allows all members of the audience to experience superb sound quality regardless of where they may be seated.
IMAX projectors are the most advanced, highest-precision and most powerful projectors ever built. The key to their superior performance and reliability is the unique "Rolling Loop" film movement. The Rolling Loop advances the film horizontally in a smooth, wave-like motion. During projection, each frame is positioned on fixed registration pins and the film is held firmly against the rear element of the lens by a vacuum. As a result, the picture and focus steadiness are far above normal projection standards and provide outstanding image clarity.
The IMAX system has its roots in EXPO ‘67 in Montreal, Canada where multi-screen films were the hit of the fair. A small group of Canadian filmmakers/ entrepreneurs (Graeme Ferguson, Roman Kroitor and Robert Kerr), who had made some of those popular films, decided to design a new system using a single, powerful projector, rather than the cumbersome multiple projectors used at that time. The result: the IMAX motion picture projection system which would revolutionize giant-screen cinema. IMAX technology premiered at the Fuji Pavilion, EXPO ‘70 in Osaka, Japan. The first permanent IMAX projection system was installed at Ontario Place's Cinesphere in Toronto in 1971. OMNIMAX® debuted at the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theatre in San Diego in 1973.
Imax leases IMAX motion picture projection systems to specially designed theatres worldwide. As of April 1999, 185 permanent theatres operate in 25 countries. There is a backlog of more than 80 theatres scheduled to open in 15 different countries during the next few years.
There are approximately 150 films in the medium film library. Educational and entertaining, these films take viewers where they are unable to go: to explore the hidden secrets of natural wonders like Mt. Everest, the inside of an atom or the magic of space.
FACTS AND INFORMATION
Introduction
Scientists understand the importance of studying dolphins in the wild, to begin to comprehend their incredibly complex lives. Our film is a window to just one research project that studies the communicative lives of dolphins in the Bahamas and off the shores of Argentina. Yet there are hundreds of scientists studying dolphins worldwide. They're discovering where dolphin species live and travel; how dolphin families and societies form; how these marine mammals compete and cooperate with other species; and how humans adversely affect their health and mortality. All of their work contributes to our understanding of dolphins and the wonderfully intricate and fragile ocean that is their home.
There are about 40 species of dolphins known to exist in Earth's oceans and fresh water rivers. Some, like the bottlenose dolphin, are much more known to the public and to scientists. Research on dolphin intelligence, for instance, has been done predominantly with bottlenose dolphins in captivity. Others, like the rough-toothed dolphins that stranded in Florida and are featured in our film, are less understood. Scientists are still trying to discover, for example, where these animals can be found!
Similar to the herds of animals that have roamed the plains of Africa and North America, dolphins travel the ocean in communities of varying size; and they maintain societies for mating, feeding, detecting predators and nurturing their young. Some dolphins live in deep water, and are more likely to travel in large communities numbering in the hundreds or even thousands. Others live nearer to shore, traveling in bands of maybe dozens or hundreds. Generally, we know more about dolphins that live out their lives nearer our coastlines, than those that roam the wide ocean, far from our view.
All dolphins belong to the scientific order cetacea, which comprises both whales and dolphins. Dolphins are further subdivided into various families, the largest of which is called Delphinidae. There are 32 dolphins in this family, including the bottlenose, Atlantic spotted dolphins, dusky dolphins, spinners, even orcas (also known as killer whales), the largest of all dolphins. Porpoises and river dolphins belong to different families. Porpoises are usually smaller than dolphins, have different shaped teeth, no beak, and their dorsal fins are shaped differently (and sometimes porpoises have no dorsal fin).
Scientists tell us that the ancestors of dolphins, whales and porpoises were land mammals called ungulates, or hoofed animals. Fifty million years or so ago these animals adapted to the rising ocean, eventually becoming mammals of the sea.
Our film introduces you to just three dolphin species in the Delphinidae family: the Atlantic spotted dolphins, dusky dolphins, and bottlenose dolphins.
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Atlantic spotted dolphins (Scientific Name: Stenella frontalis)
The first recorded encounters between people and Atlantic spotted dolphins along the Little Bahamas Bank was in the late 1960's when divers were salvaging the wreck of a Spanish galleon. Divers were frequently visited by friendly spotted dolphins that would approach, investigate, and often mimic divers' actions. In the mid-1980's, scientists began studying their distribution, associations with one another, behavior, even identifying individuals by gender and the pattern of their spots. Beginning at about four years old, young dolphins in this species begin developing black spots on their light underside and white spots on their dark topside. The older the dolphin, the more spots.
Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, featured in our film, uses the spots and markings, such as scars from encounters with sharks or other dolphins, to help her identify each dolphin. In order to understand the communicative lives of these animals she must first understand who is "talking." Is it an older female reacting to a young dolphin? Is it two teen-aged dolphins interacting with one another? The more she knows about the animals, over time, the better she can search for clues and correlation's between certain sounds dolphins make and their behaviors.
Atlantic spotted dolphins live in the shallow, tropical waters off the Atlantic Coast of the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Bahamas. It is when they're near-shore that Kathleen studies them. During the afternoon, they swim out to deeper waters in search of fish and squid. Atlantic spotted dolphins are relatively small compared to other dolphins. They are about six feet long and weigh approximately 200 pounds when they reach adulthood. The females of this species are generally larger than the males.
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Dusky dolphins
(Scientific Name: Lagenorhynchus cruciger)
Dr. Bernd Würsig, featured in our film, knows more about dusky dolphins than anyone in the world. He's been studying these acrobatic marvels since the 1970's. His dusky dolphin research takes him from Argentina to New Zealand, as duskies live in the temperate waters of the southern hemisphere.
Duskies are smaller than many dolphins, reaching a length of five to six or so feet. They have very short beaks and distinctive black and white coloring, but the most noted characteristic of the duskies is their highly acrobatic leaps. In addition to helping propel them more quickly through the water, duskies may be leaping for their dinner. By leaping high, they may be locating their prey by spotting flocks of birds feeding on schooling fish, sometimes miles away. These leaps also might communicate to other dolphins that dinner is near.
In Patagonia, off the shores of Argentina, Drs. Würsig, Alejandro Acevedo, and Dudzinski study the dusky dolphins that come in to the local bays in the spring, summer and fall to eat anchovies. The dolphins begin their search for food in groups of 20 or more. Würsig thinks that duskies watch for birds circling above the water and feeding on fish as a signal that anchovies are near. The several groups then race toward the school of anchovies and begin cooperatively herding the fish into a swirling school. The dolphins drive the fish toward the ocean's surface, using it as a barrier or wall that the anchovies cannot escape. At this point, there may be hundreds of dolphins working together to herd and consume the anchovies. The duskies call to one another in loud, excited squawks and whistles, leaping and slapping the water with their tails as they take turns herding and feeding.
Scientists want to know: who feeds first and how is that determined? Is it based on kinship ties or dominance? What signals do they give one another during this frenzied activity? The more we learn about dolphins, the more questions we are inspired to ask. And as long as there are dolphins, there will be ample opportunity for future scientists to make important contributions.
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Bottlenose dolphins
(Scientific Name: Tursiops truncatus)
The 1960's television show "Flipper," as well as oceanariums that care for captive dolphins, have made the bottlenose the most recognized dolphin species in the world. In fact, bottlenose dolphins inhabit temperate and tropical waters of almost every ocean, including the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Their popularity and anatomical "smile" cause many people to think dolphins are merry, friendly creatures eager to interact with humans. In some respects this is true. Dolphins are highly social animals, and in captivity, they tend to be eager to interact with humans and are more easily trained than other animals. Even in the wild, there have been many documented accounts of dolphins seeking human companionship, but generally speaking, they far prefer the company of their own kind. Why some dolphins separate from their group and interact with people is still a mystery.
In Dolphins, we meet Dean Bernal, a marine naturalist in the Turks & Caicos, West Indies, who has befriended a wild, bottlenose dolphin named JoJo. (see The JoJo Dolphin Project). Bottlenose dolphins are much bigger than spotteds and duskies. At about ten feet long and 600 pounds, JoJo is a powerful force! In fact, dolphins can be quite aggressive with one another and with other species, including humans. Several people have been injured and one person killed by a dolphin, but the blame often falls on the humans who don't understand how their actions can be interpreted as aggressive by the dolphin. It's interesting to know that the "killer whale," the largest of all dolphins, has never been known to kill a person. They are the top predator in the oceans, but have not harmed people.
Dean leads a public education program that stresses the importance of appropriate behavior around dolphins. While swimming with dolphins is illegal in U.S. waters, "swim with dolphin" programs are abundant and becoming more popular in other locations. Scientist Kathleen Dudzinski spent this last year in Japan studying bottlenose dolphins in an area that's becoming more popular with tourists as a "swim with dolphins" destination. Kathleen, Dean, and others concerned for the well-being of dolphins, tell us we need to understand dolphin communication, behaviors and life cycles, as well as their feeding and rest patterns, so that we don't disrupt their lives, or cause injury to dolphins or ourselves. Kathleen, Dean, and other scientists want us all to realize that, when we're in the ocean, we're in the dolphins' home.
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Educational Resources and Activities
MacGillivray Freeman Films, National Wildlife Federation, Museum Film Network, and the National Science Foundation are all dedicated to making Dolphins an enriching and educational experience.
We have developed a special Teacher's Guide designed to augment the DOLPHINS film experience before, during, and after the show. This Teacher's Guide contains much more information about dolphins as well as a wide variety of educational activites for the classroom and the home. You can download this Guide in the Adobe Acrobat file format by clicking on the picture.
If you do not have Adobe® Acrobat® Rader on your computer, download it here for free.
In addition, we are forging alliances with other groups like ASPIRA and Girl Scouts of America. Creating educational outreach programs with these organizations will encourage a greater number of young people to learn more about dolphins and careers related to marine biology. More details will become available as we approach the film's release in March 2000.
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A n E duc a t ional R e s our c e for Teac h er s
MACGILLIVRAY FREEMANÕS dolphins
TM
“To the dolphin alone, beyond all
other, nature has granted what the
best philosophers seek: friendship
for no advantage.”
—Plutarch, Greek
moralist and biographer
The large format film, DOLPHINS, is appropriate for all intermediate grades (4-8). This Teacher’s Guide will be most useful when
accompanying the film, but is a valuable resource on its own. Teachers are strongly encouraged to adapt activities included in this
guide to meet the specific needs of the grades they teach and their students. All activities developed for this guide support
National Education Standards for Science, Geography, Math and English, but are not referenced in this guide due to space
constraints and differences in standard use throughout the nation.
Introduction
Science
On Location
The MacGillivray Freeman
Films crew filmed scientists at
work for DOLPHINS. It’s not
easy to follow wild dolphins
and study them, but Drs.
Kathleen Dudzinski and
Alejandro Acevedo-Gutierrez
are doing exactly that. To
study at close range, the
researchers must wait for dolphins
to come to them, not a
simple task since dolphin
groups can travel up to 50
miles per day.
Dudzinski’s research
focuses on behavior and communication.
She spent nearly
2,000 hours in the Bahamas
gathering data amounting to
only twenty hours of usable
recordings. Like Dudzinski,
Acevedo earned his doctorate
from Texas A&M. He specializes
in behavioral ecology of
marine mammals and has
researched dolphin feeding
behavior and foraging
techniques.
Adding to the challenge of finding dolphins
is the inconvenience of carrying the technical
equipment.With more bulk and weight than the
average movie camera, the 92-pound IMAX® filming
unit is not easy to carry in or out of water. Because
of its bulk, it had to be placed in an underwater
housing for easier maneuvering and was given the
nickname “Miss Piggy”by the film crew.Table of C on t en t s
1 Introduction
Dolphins—Animals We Are
Still Trying To Figure Out
Humans cherish and admire beings who possess
noble traits. The resourcefulness, confidence and
grace of dolphins endear them to our hearts and
minds. It is because we search for the same
characteristics in ourselves that we cherish these
magnificent animals.
We like to think that dolphins enjoy being
around us as much as we do them. Is it possible
that dolphins share our company simply for diversity?
Some species can become bored with their own
kind. Who gets more out of the relationship: the
human or dolphin? They provide us with insight
into the realms of anatomy, behavior and communication.
Still, our curiosity pushes us to learn more.
Although we admire other animals, dolphins
remain high on our list of species that fascinate us.
Scientists believe that marine mammals are
descendants of animals that once lived on land. The
skeleton of a dolphin supports this theory. There is
a modified form of hands in the front flippers of a
dolphin. Two small, unattached bones located
behind the rib cage are believed to be remains of
the pelvic girdle, to which hind limbs once attached.
Most people wouldn’t know it, but dolphins have
a common ancestor with hoofed animals, specifically
cows.With so many cow lovers out there as
well, it wouldn’t be a surprise.
Thanks to her invention of a 25-pound
mobile video/acoustic array, Dudzinski had an
easier time moving than the film crew. The array
was the key component in deciphering which dolphin
was making noise. On land, there is a slight
delay in sound that allows us to interpret the
direction of its origin. Since sound moves 4.5
times faster underwater, the delay is less, making
it more difficult to find the source.With a group of
dolphins all making noises at the same time, this
could be a big dilemma. The array records dolphin
vocalizations with two underwater microphones,
called hydrophones. They are set on a bar at least
4.5 times the distance between Dudzinski’s ears.
During the analysis of the videotapes, the delay
produced by that distance allowed her to localize
the sound source.Combining the hydrophones
and a high-tech video camera in a waterproof
shelter allowed her to tape the dolphins visually
while recording their vocalizations. The unit also
contains a smaller box. The box contains a Digital
Audio Tape (DAT) recorder and filter with a third
hydrophone attached—the click detector. This
recorded the signal envelope of dolphin echolocation
clicks. Echolocation involves sending out a
stream of pulses called a click. The echo sounds
are received by the lower jaw of dolphins. From
there, the sounds are transmitted to the inner ear
via the middle ear.Without this detector, the pitch
of the clicks is too high for humans to hear. Despite
the extra effort required to carry them, the click
detector and array earned their keep by supplying
new (or never before recorded) information on how
dolphins use sounds and behavior to communicate.
Locations: Places of Contrast
In the film, dolphins can be seen swimming in
bodies of water all over the world. Still, like most
animals, dolphins have their preferred homes. Two
of these are the Bahamas and Patagonia, Argentina.
The Bahamas are a popular vacation destination
for tourists, marine mammals included. The spirit
of the people, appealing climate and warm waters
make it a pleasing choice for a vacation.
The middle of the Bermuda Triangle, appropriately
named Hope Town, was the starting point for
the crew. Many fish inhabit this archipelago. It’s no
coincidence that dolphins spend a lot of time in
this area. Known for its calm, warm and clear waters,
the Bahamas provide dolphins shelter from tropical
storms. The MacGillivray Freeman Films crew
filmed Dean Bernal swimming with a bottlenose
dolphin named Jojo off the coast of the Turks and
Caicos Islands. Off the southern coast of
Argentina, Puerto Piramides is battered by a cold,
windy ocean. Despite the challenging conditions,
this is a key feeding site for dusky dolphins
Anatomically
Correct
The dolphins’use
of echolocation
sets them apart
from most ocean
dwellers. Dolphins
use echolocation to
detect food under
sand and maneuver
through dark
or cloudy water. A
dolphin can find a
single BB (shot)
when dropped at the far end of a 70-foot (21 m)
pool in less than 20 seconds. There is also a theory
that they can focus sound into a narrow beam that
projects out in front of them. The direction of the
beam is selected by them.
Dolphins also rely on their eyes for survival.
To rest, they close an eye allowing one side of their
brain to sleep, while the other eye patrols the
water for danger. Staying in a group also makes it
easier to rest.
Their eyes help them adjust to their surroundings
by opening wide to see in dim light and nearly
closing to see in bright sunlight. When they jump
above the surface, dusky dolphins can see up to
five miles. Also, each eye moves independently of
the other, enabling it to follow different objects at
once. Finally, there is the ability of the eyes to see
directly forward or backward. This is an invaluable
tool in helping spot food or detecting an
approaching enemy.
All mammals breathe air. Dolphins, unlike most
mammals, exchange 80 percent of lung volume
with each breath. In comparison, we only use 20
percent with each breath. They also have flexible
rib cages that prevent their bones from breaking on
deep dives. They can dive up to 1,640 feet (500 m).
They can stay under water for more than eight
minutes. Stored oxygen is used for diving, while the efficiency of their lungs allows them to conserve
heat and stay under longer. Most humans
can spend no more than one minute under water.
These unique mammals provide us with
valuable scientific knowledge. Understanding their
built-in sonar and its capacity to detect size, shape,
texture and density of underwater objects could help
in furthering sonar development. The shape of a
dolphin’s body and its capability to reach great
speeds (21 miles per hour or 33.8 km) might assist
design of sea vessels. They can achieve these great
speeds by bowriding a fast moving vessel. This
allows them to surf pressure waves while expending
no energy.We can look at the way dolphins swim to
assist us in building quicker boats, much like birds
have helped us design better aircraft
More Aggressive Than We Realize
When most people think of dolphins, they think of
Flipper from television and film.Words like playful,
intelligent, loving and friendly pop in our heads.
They are seen as the aquatic version of man’s best
friend. Although there are many instances of dolphins
being friendly, we need to remember that
dolphins are wild animals. While humans seek
them out, they usually avoid human contact.
Dolphin aggression is evidenced in their markings.
Some body scars often come from sharks or human
infringement; many are obtained in fights with
other dolphins. These intense confrontations may
include squawking, clapping jaws, body posture,
biting and kicking with tail flukes. Scientists think
such interactions establish a social hierarchy
The combative behavior among dolphins goes
beyond their own kind. Off the coast of British
Columbia, Scotland and in the Pacific, there have
been reports of dolphins attacking porpoises.
(Dolphins and porpoises are related. However,
porpoises are significantly smaller than most
dolphin types. They are generally half the size of
the average dolphin.) A kill can take up to 45
minutes since some dolphins flip the porpoises up
with their beaks and batter them when they land
in the water. Off the Moray Firth in Scotland from
1991-93, 42 dead porpoises washed up on the
coast. Tests comparing dolphin teeth marks on the
porpoises proved an exact dolphin match.
Like any animal, dolphins can attack other
animals. What about attacks on us? In 1994, a
dolphin in the wild killed one Brazilian man and
injured another. One man died from internal
hemorrhaging, while the other suffered a broken
rib. The following week, the same dolphin injured
another swimmer. The men claimed that the dolphin
attacked them after they tried to put sticks
into the animals’ blowhole as they attempted to
ride it. As much as we love dolphins, we need to
be aware that they can injure us, no matter how
rare, if we are not careful. For this reason, it is not a
good idea for us to interact with them in this way.
Keeping distance and avoiding pursuit of dolphins
is vital for their safety and ours.
Random Acts of Kindness
When a member of a group gets injured, two
dolphins may swim underneath and support it
below the flippers, then bring it up to the surface
for air. Some experts believe that dolphin mothers
take turns babysitting as well as disciplining. For
instance, if a young dolphin is misbehaving, the
mother will hold it underwater and cover its
blowhole to teach it a lesson. Dudzinski asserts
that dolphins rub each other with pectoral fins to
indicate affection.
Years ago at Marine Studio Oceanarium, an
18-foot pilot whale named Bimbo stopped eating
and became combative toward smaller dolphins in
the tank. The trainers decided that his ego needed
adjusting. They drained the tank to the three-foot
level. Now stranded in the shallow water, Bimbo
began to whistle piteously. All of the dolphins
gathered around and comforted him with conversation
consisting of whistles and clicks. When the tank
was refilled, Bimbo’s manners improved immediately.
The dolphins facilitated an improvement in
the relationship.
In the film Dolphins, Dean Bernal and the
dolphin Jojo illustrate one example of a positive
human-dolphin relationship. Bernal was appointed
Jojo’s official warden after tourists harassed
him. They constantly mimic each other with acrobatic
tricks and movements. Bernal let Jojo initiate
first contact. Now, he entertains Jojo by blowing
bubble rings as they swim together nearly every
day. This is an amazing relationship, but we have
to remember that it is extremely rare for this to
happen.
An Exclusive Club
With an average of seven members, dolphin groups
are based largely on age, sex and reproductive
condition. For protection, the size of groups usually
increases with water depth and larger habitats.
It is common to see mother-calf pairs and groups
of mature females with their most recent offspring.
Young adults usually are found in mixed-sex and
single-sex groups. Adult males have often been
observed alone, or in pairs or occasional trios. They commonly move between female groups in their
range, and may pair up with females for brief
periods. There is no form of apprenticeship, as
male dolphins rarely associate with young males.
The main factors for group formation are protection
and fright, while reasons for division include
alertness, aggression and shared feeding.
Cetacean Communication
We know dolphins do a lot of communicating,
but are still attempting to figure out what most of
it means.We are trying to learn about their intellectual
ability.We have seen how fast they learn
behaviors and are aware of their ability to repeat
our movements. A study of one dolphin in captivity
revealed an example of its intelligence. It was
trained to rise to the surface and emit a sound when
any word was shouted over the surface of the
water. Eighteen percent of the sounds the dolphin
emitted were considered human emissions.
Much of dolphin communication is classified
into clicks and whistles. Bubble streams left by
dolphins provided an aid for deciphering these.
Although not 100 percent accurate, these trails of
bubbles often accompany whistles and clicks.
Every clue helps us interpret them. This information
makes it easier to find out which dolphins are
communicating among a large group.
Besides sounds, dolphins use “posture”and
“approach” to communicate. Body movements are
a major factor in determining what the sounds
mean. It is thought that direct or perpendicular
approaches represent aggressive and argumentative
behavior. Also, communication can change
according to the situation and context. A form of
communication during feeding would likely be
different during playing or mating.
Group communication is a key to finding food
for dusky dolphins. After finding a school of fish,
such as anchovies, they wrangle
them like cowboys herd cattle.
They push the fish to the surface,
creating an impenetrable barrier.
Then they encircle the fish forming
a condensed “bait ball”of food.
Constant squawking among the
dolphins takes place during this
process. Large bubbles are blown
in unison to trap the fish. One at a
time, each dolphin swims through
the middle of the ball, consumes
as many fish as possible and
rejoins the surrounding circle.
Eventually, every dolphin gets a
turn before the bait ball breaks up
or is devoured. Adult bottlenose
dolphins eat approximately 4% to
5% of their body weight in food
per day.
Some Work, Lots of Play
Dolphins are usually playing when we see them.
At least it appears to be play. They jump in the air,
execute acrobatic moves, swim with boats and
mimic us when we swim with them. Are they
doing all of this just for fun? Jumping serves an
important purpose. They leap to find food. Their
excellent eyesight and leaping allows dolphins to
spot flocks of birds feeding on the surface miles
away. This tells them that a school of fish is present.
Then they join the party and fill up on fish.
Dolphins have mannerisms and actions that
define them. Dusky dolphins have signature leaps
they repeat.We can identify them according to
their jumps. Some show off, while others seem to
do whatever makes them happy.
There are certain behaviors of dolphin play that
appear to serve no other intent than enjoyment or
possibly entertainment. Catching waves and riding
surf seem to be for pure entertainment. It takes
creativity and ingenuity to come up with new forms
of play. Does playing imply higher intelligence?
Humans and Dolphins
Although they can and have been aggressive
towards humans, the following anecdotes support
the idea that no aquatic animal is a better friend to
us than the dolphin. During World War II, a group
of American airmen were stranded on a raft when
two dolphins showed up and pushed the raft to
land. In another example, an eight-year old girl
who suffered brain damage at birth, spoke for the
first time after the therapy of swimming with a
dolphin. Cancer patients have also used dolphin
therapy to bring them joy and ease pain.
Dolphins amaze us with their skills and impress
us with their intelligence.We continue to learn more
about them. In doing this, we need to respect their
personal space and remember they are wild animals.
T E A C H E R G U I D E 4
5
ACTIVITY 1 Literacy Sandwich,
Hold the Mayo
Literacy Sandwich,
Hold the Mayo!
Objective: Students will be able
to distinguish between dolphin
fact and fiction after reading
literature related to the film.
In The Film: The dolphin stars of the film seem
to be smiling as they play together or interact in
happy groups. As these animals swim, it is only
human to want to share in their exuberance by
giving them human-like characteristics. If we could
give them human voices, what might these animals
be saying to each other as they play? What would
they say as they swim with the film’s humans?
Are they really smiling when they chatter? Scientists
are learning more about their communication
patterns but it is still fun to imagine what they
might say with those “smiling”faces.
Materials: Non-Fiction Children’s Books
Meeting Dolphins: My Adventures In The Sea,
Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, National Geographic
Books,Washington D.C., 2000.
All About Dolphins!, Deborah Kovacs,
Third Story Books, Connecticut, 1994.
Dolphin, Robert A. Morris, Harper Collins
Children’s Books, New York, 1975.
Dolphins!, June Behrens, Children’s Press,
Chicago, 1990.
Dolphins and Porpoises, Beth Wagner Brust,
ZooBooks,Wildlife Education Ltd., San Diego, 1990.
Dolphins and Porpoises, Janelle Hatherly and Delia
Nichols, Facts On File Publications, New York, 1990.
Dolphins for Kids, Patricia Corrigan, Creative
Publishing International, National Wildlife
Federation,Washington D.C., 1997.
The Friendly Dolphins, Patricia Lauber, Scholastic,
Inc., New York 1995.
Whales and Dolphins in Action, Tanner Ottley Gay,
Aladdin Books, New York, 1991.
Fiction Children’s Books
Dolly and the Strange New Something*, Dina
Anatasio, Third Story Books, Connecticut,1994.
Shamu and His Friends-A First Book of Baby Animals*,
Ellen Weiss, Third Story Books, Connecticut, 1994.
Story of a Dolphin, Katherine Orr, Carolrhoda
Books, Inc., Minneapolis, 1995.
The Arm of the Starfish, Madeleine L’Engle, Farrar,
Straus & Giroux, New York, 1965. (Oldy-but-Goody)
Teacher Prep Notes: This activity is designed to
allow students an opportunity to read about dolphins
both before and after viewing the film. Reading
about dolphins, both in fiction and non-fiction
literature can increase interest in dolphins for
students. The activity is designed to be open-ended,
allowing both teacher
and student to make
the oral presentations
as individual as students.
Several class
sessions may be needed
for this activity.
To Do Before
Viewing: Have students read a non-fiction book
on dolphins. Use the titles listed above, or
encourage students to find their own titles from
the school or local library. Have students make oral
presentations about the book to the class prior to
seeing the Dolphins film. Develop a class vocabulary
list from the class readings and discuss the
definitions for each word. Task students to watch
for dolphin activities that were discussed in the
oral reports as they screen the film.
After Viewing: Have students read a fiction book
about dolphins. Again, students may use titles
listed or find their own in the library. After reading
the fiction selection, ask students to determine the
elements of the story that make it fictitious. Ask
them if the actions of the dolphins or other sea life
portrayed in their literature selection were realistic
and demonstrated what dolphins really do. How
could students rewrite their stories basing them
more on actual animal behaviors?
Taking it Further: Task students to
write their own literature with dolphins
as the characters. The literature could
be both fiction and non-fiction.
Ask students to anthropomorphize the dolphins
in the film or in the literature by having
them choose actors to play the dolphin’s role. Who
would they choose to act out dolphin roles and why?
*This listing is also appropriate for limited English students or low
level readers.
6 ACTIVITY 2 Deep Diving!
Deep
Diving
Objective: Students will use the scientific method
to investigate and understand two physical principles
(bradycardia and myoglobin storage) involved in a
dolphin’s deep-diving adaptations.
In The Film: As we catch glimpses of the world
of the dolphin, we see how incredibly well their
species has adapted to a marine lifestyle.Watching
their smooth bodies glide through the water, we
forget these mammals breathe air like humans.
They rise to the ocean surface often to gulp breaths
of air. There are obvious physical adaptations that
allow the dolphin to live entirely surrounded by
water. Fin placement and body covering are only
some of the adaptations that aid in it’s survival.
Internal organ adaptations are not evident on film
but their benefits can be understood as the sleek
mammals plunge to the ocean depths.
Materials: Per four students:
n Stop watches (use watches with
second hands as alternatives)
n Copies of Dolphin Data Grid
n Pencils
Teacher Prep Notes: Students will take and
record pulse rates. One way to take a pulse measurement
is to lightly hold the right arm of another
person. Gently grasp the arm by the wrist with the
fingers. Place the tip of the middle finger over
the artery located inside the wrist
near the tendons that run along
the center. Adjust the placement
of the fingers along the wrist until
the gentle throbbing of the pulse is
felt. If there is a limited number
of stop watches available, allow
students to record a 15-second
test and multiply the result by four
to determine a one minute score.
Pulse rates can also be taken at
the carotid artery. Locate the
carotid artery at the front of the
neck just below the jaw.
Students can use Data Grids provided or lay
out their own to record data.
NOTE: To get an accurate pulse measurement, DO NOT use the
thumb because its large blood vessels confuse pulse measurements.
Background: Like most marine mammals, dolphins
have special adaptations that allow them to dive
deep in the ocean and remain underwater for long
periods of time. In fact, bottlenose dolphins are able to stay under water for eight minutes and
can dive to depths of 1,640 feet (500 meters)! The
dolphin’s adaptations allow it to survive in a marine
environment where the oxygen needed to exist is
not accessible.
In order to live underwater, a dolphin’s body
must conserve oxygen for the duration of each
long dive. One way oxygen is conserved is through a
process called bradycardia, which slows the animal’s
heart rate. When the heart rate slows, the body
uses less oxygen. During bradycardia, blood is
also diverted to where it is most needed (heart,
lungs and brain).
During a dive, the dolphin’s blood is diverted
to the heart, lungs and brain from the muscles.
The animal is not in danger thanks to another
adaptation that allows their muscles to use stored
oxygen for energy. The dolphin’s body has adapted
to use myoglobin throughout the body when air
from the surface is not available. Myoglobin is a
protein, like hemoglobin, that assists in the storage
of oxygen. Myoglobin can actually store as much
as four times the number of oxygen atoms than
hemoglobin. Because their muscles have adapted to
retain high levels of this special protein, dolphins
naturally store more oxygen in their muscles. Large
amounts of myoglobin found in the muscles allow
a dolphin to conserve oxygen from each breath
and to survive long dives.Without the elevated
levels of myogobin, a dolphin would have to wait
after each deep dive until their muscles gathered
more oxygen from the blood stream before they
could dive again.
Relate this to how a human feels after a long
swim or a deep dive. Compared to dolphins,
humans have a low level of myoglobin in their
muscles. The extreme fatigue felt after a rigorous
underwater workout illustrates the need for oxygen.
When we swim under water, we limit the amount
of oxygen we breathe, and the amount of breaths
we inhale (as with regulated breathing intervals).
Our muscles become fatigued. When our muscles
become fatigued they require even more oxygen
rich blood to be pumped by the heart.
To Do: Divide students into groups of six. Give
each group a copy of the Data Grid and a pencil.
Make sure that one person in each group has a
stopwatch. Discuss how the dolphin adaptations
of bradycardia and the levels of myoglobin aid the
animal. Explain that they will be performing a
series of tests to illustrate the differences between
humans and dolphins demonstrating how dolphin
adaptations help them to survive long, deep dives
Write the names of team members in the spaces
provided on the grid. Measure the resting pulse
rates (one-minute test) for each team member.
Record results in the designated space on the
grid. Resting pulse rates give a starting point
for the tests in the investigations.
2 Team member pairs will now test and record
pulse measurements after holding their breath
for 15 seconds. One student in each pair will
hold his or her breath while the other student
measures their pulse. Multiply the 15-second
test number by four to convert the pulse rate
to beats-per-minute. Record the beats-perminute
in the appropriate space on the grid.
Repeat the process so each student has data
recorded in the grid. Discuss the findings of
this activity. What did students experience?
Discuss the benefits of having a slower heart rate.
3 Next, have team member pairs test and record
how long they can continuously flex and
extend their index finger. (Generally it takes
about one to two minutes.) Have students
record the length of time (minutes and seconds)
it took for the finger to become immobile in
the designated location on the grid.
4 Repeat the process for each remaining team
member. Who could participate for the longest
time with the flex/extension exercise? What did
the students experience? Discuss the importance
of myoglobin found in a dolphin’s muscles.
5 Share results of group data sheets with other
groups. Discuss the similarities and differences
in the data collected.
6 Have students take another resting heart rate
30 to 60 seconds after they have completed
the experiments listed above. How does the
heart rate recorded at the beginning of the
activity relate to records taken at the end?
What’s Going On & Why? In this activity, when
students hold their breath they simulate diving.
Student findings for this portion of the activity will
show that the pulse rate for humans increases when
regular breathing does not occur. The heart rate will
increase as the
heart, brain and
muscles demand
more oxygen.
In contrast, a
dolphin’s heart
rate slows as it
dives, conserving
oxygen.
The part of the
activity involving
the finger movements
illustrates what happens when oxygen is
depleted from muscles. As the finger muscles flex,
they use oxygen. As the amount of oxygen gets used
up, the muscles no longer are able to function. If
the test permitted a rest period between flexes,
the muscles would have time to store oxygen
needed; but when the flexing continues the
amount quickly becomes depleted. This illustrates
that humans have small amounts of myoglobin
in their bodies. An average person could not make
long dives under water without coming to the
surface for air. A dolphin, however, can exercise
its muscles for longer periods of time under
water without fatigue, due to the amount of
myoglobin present in their muscles.
8
ACTIVITY 3 Save the Dolphins!
Save the
Dolphins
Objective: Students will learn about (both natural
and human-made) hazards to dolphins and discuss
ways to ensure safe environmental conditions.
In The Film: We see picturesque ocean-scapes
where clear blue-green water glistens under the
bright sun. The surf greets the shore crashing to the
sand or rock. The dolphins’vast home is beautiful,
but don’t be fooled by these serene images! As
dolphins travel around their watery world, they
encounter many hazards, be it seine fishing nets,
water and noise pollution or sharks—even killer
whales.
Teacher Prep Notes: This activity is designed to
be the catalyst for student discussion about both
natural and human-made hazards to the dolphins’
way of life. Discussion questions may be addressed to
the entire class, or you may choose to break students
into action groups to facilitate more participatory
discussion. Questions may be reproduced onto cards
or onto a separate page for student use. Students
may visit the library to research topics stated in
questions and report findings back to the class.
To Do: Address each of the following discussion
questions with students. Ask them to determine if
the hazard is natural or human-made and ask them
to indicate how specific hazards might harm
dolphins or other sea life. After sufficient discussion,
task students to develop possible ways to minimize
hazards to the
dolphins’home.
Ask them to list
what they could
do to preserve
the Earth’s
oceans for all
sea life.
FACT BOX: Did you know that it is
illegal to swim with dolphins in United
States waters? You must stay at least 300
feet (91.44 meters) away from dolphins
swimming in the wild for safety reasons,
both yours and the animals‘!
INTERNATIONAL POACHERS
Discussion Questions: In some parts of the
world, dolphin and whale meat is considered a
delicacy. Because of this, international poachers
pursue and kill pods of dolphin and whales. What
are the implications of this practice? What can
you do to help?
do to help?
The international fishing industry is working
hard to provide enough fresh fish for a hungry
world. Fishing boats often capture fish other than
those they intended. Although the use of large
floating nets (gill nets or purse seine nets) is, for
the most part, illegal in fishing. Dolphins and
other large animals still drown when they are caught in the fishing nets. Why is this a problem
and what can you do to help?
With growing awareness of dolphins and
their unique abilities, many humans are drawn to
swim with them. What are the dangers of this
practice for both humans and dolphins? Are we
loving the dolphins to death?
Much of the crude oil used by the worlds’
major powers is shipped via oil tanker across
waterways where dolphins live. The tankers, often
carrying hundreds of gallons of oil, face storms
and other hazards while on the voyage. When the
unthinkable happens and the oil from a tanker
leaks into the ocean, what could happen to the
dolphins living nearby? What can be done to
assist if/when this occurs? What about the noise
pollution from these huge tankers? What can be
done to address this issue?
Killer whales (also cetaceans) rely on clean
oceans for survival. If the environment of the
killer whale is polluted, these animals may migrate
to different areas, or may die off. What effect would
that have on the populations of other animals who
live within the same ecosystem? What can you do
to address this issue?
Some species of dolphins and whales beach
themselves and die on the sand. This is called
“stranding”. Why might these animals do this
and what hazards to people occur when they do
beach themselves? What can you do if you see a
beached dolphin?
As more and more tourists visit the warm
climate regions where some species of dolphins live,
what implications does the increased boat traffic
have on the ocean environment? What precautions
can people take to protect this environment?
What’s Going On & Why? Humans often pose
the biggest threat to dolphins. The amount of
garbage produced by humans that works its way
into the waterways is staggering. Oil and gas
leaking from fishing or tourists boats pollute the
oceans. Run-off from land and rivers is often
polluted with chemicals before it makes its way
to the oceans. Gill nets and drift fishing nets (outlawed
in many countries) still present a huge
threat to dolphins. Heavy boat traffic can affect
the breeding and travel patterns of dolphin pods,causing them to migrate to other areas. Dolphins
can become ill if they ingest trash or any other
water pollution.
Even people who love and respect dolphins
may be harming the animals unintentionally. An
increasing number of “swim with the wild dolphin”
programs are being set up around the world. Some
of these may not be run by reputable organizations
and animals kept in captivity may actually become
harmed. The dolphins in captivity are in constant
contact with humans and may be exposed to
human-born illness; at the same time, they may
not be monitored for health concerns. Some
animals kept in captivity are isolated from other
animals and are unable to live their lives as they
would in the wild. Dolphins are powerful untamed
animals that can inflict serious damage with their
teeth and flukes. People who enter the water with
any dolphin take serious risks unless they are
in a closely monitored environment.
Since the ecosystem of the ocean is complex,
the movement or elimination of even a
single species will affect the rest of the
system. For example, if the number of
shark predators was decreased, the
number of sick or weak dolphins
might increase.
This could make the
entire dolphin
pod less able to survive adversity as it slows down the rate at
which the pod can travel. The recently increasing
number of beached dolphins is alarming. Scientists
are unable to determine why these animals are dying.
Could it be that these are the weakest animals in
the pod and are
not eaten by natural
predators due to
changes in their
(the predators‘)
environments?
Taking It Further:Ask a representative
from a local ocean
conservation group to
visit the class. Partner with the organization for
beach/river clean-up events.
Visit another classroom sharing ways to keep
our waterways and oceans clean. Share ways each
student can help keep the ocean clean, even if
they live in a land-locked region.
Develop an ad campaign for saving dolphins
and preserving their environment. Students can
create posters, bumper stickers, banners and
songs to inform others of the need to keep the
oceans and waterways free from pollution.
Visit the Center for Marine Conservation
web site for marine mammal protection at
http://www.cmc-ocean.org
10 ACTIVITY
4 What’s the Chatter?
WhatÕs the
Chatter?12
FACT BOX:Water is an excellent
sound carrier. Sound waves (energy)
actually travel 41⁄2 times faster in
water than in air!
ACTIVITY 5 Hidden Identities!
14 ACTIVITY 6 Feeling a Little
Off Balance?
16 ACTIVITY 7 Listen and Learn
18 ACTIVITY 8 The Eyes Have It!
20 ACTIVITY 9 Uncommon Sense!
22 ACTIVITY 10 Talk The Talk
24 Resources,
Acknowledgements
Introduction
A n E duc a t ional R e s our c e for Teac h er s
MACGILLIVRAY FREEMANÕS
TM
“To the dolphin alone, beyond all
other, nature has granted what the
best philosophers seek: friendship
for no advantage.”
—Plutarch, Greek
moralist and biographer
Table of C on t en t s
1 Introduction
5 ACTIVITY 1 Literacy Sandwich,
Hold the Mayo
6 ACTIVITY 2 Deep Diving!
8 ACTIVITY 3 Save the Dolphins!
10 ACTIVITY 4 What’s the Chatter?
12 ACTIVITY 5 Hidden Identities!
14 ACTIVITY 6 Feeling a Little
Off Balance?
16 ACTIVITY 7 Listen and Learn
18 ACTIVITY 8 The Eyes Have It!
20 ACTIVITY 9 Uncommon Sense!
22 ACTIVITY 10 Talk The Talk
24 Resources,
Acknowledgements
_________________________________________________________________________
books on dolphins
http://www.dolphinsfilm.com/FSFilm.htm
In March 2000, National Geographic Books will release two companion books for Dolphins – an adult and a children’s edition.
Dolphins, written by best-selling outdoor author Tim Cahill, is an oversize, lavishly illustrated book with over 125 photographs, including many images from the film. With Cahill’s characteristic wit and humor, Dolphins leads readers on a lively adventure into the lives and careers of three marine scientists featured in the film – Drs. Kathleen Dudzinski, Alejandro Acevedo-Gutiérrez, and Bernd Würsig. Over twenty marine biologists have contributed fascinating essays on all aspects of dolphin life, from anatomy and intelligence, to communication and environmental threats. Cahill will be sent on a ten-city media tour at the time of publication.
Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski shares her personal story working with wild dolphins in Meeting Dolphins: My Adventures In The Sea, a companion book for children. Young readers will be fascinated and inspired by her account of how she got started in the marine sciences and what it’s like studying dolphin communication. Written for children ages eight years and older, and including stunning images from the film, the book will become an excellent resource for all children interested in dolphins and marine science. Meeting Dolphins: My Adventures In The Sea has been selected for the Children’s Book of the Month Club.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Alejandro's Page
Alejandro Acevedo-Gutiérrez, one of the scientists featured in Dolphins, conducts research on the behavioral ecology of marine vertebrates: their foraging strategies, group structure, mating systems, and interspecific interactions with other species. During the filming in Patagonia for Dolphins, Acevedo was able to focus his research on the dusky dolphins’ feeding technique of herding anchovies into a tightly spinning "bait ball," and then taking turns eating the fish.
As a scientist, Acevedo is particularly dedicated to providing an opportunity for children to learn about dolphins and their environment. "When I was young, I was fascinated by nature specials on marine life," says Acevedo. "I remember wishing that I could meet those scientists--a close encounter rather than a distant one. I credit such experiences as important in shaping my goals in life. I know that many children will be deeply touched by this film, and some, like me, will make science their career."
Raised in Mexico City, Acevedo received his Licenciatura en Biologia Marina (equivalent to a B.S. in marine biology) at Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, and came to the United States to complete his graduate studies at Texas A&M in 1989. In September 1997, Acevedo successfully defended his doctoral dissertation on the feeding behavior of dolphins and their interactions with sharks.
Through his work, Acevedo introduces the general public to scientific field research, specifically marine biology and the fascinating life of marine mammals, fish, and birds, while at the same time offering a view of the ecology of different, and often remote, locations.
Acevedo’s ultimate message? Although science is an exhausting and arduous profession, it is also an exciting, enriching and rewarding endeavor. And through Dolphins, more people will get the opportunity to hear his message.
Personal Profile:
Lives with: a mountain bike, a harmonica, a guitar.
Typical exclamation: "Awesome!"
Physical attributes: gentle, bear-like, graceful one moment, a stumbling klutz the next.
Writes poetry: "only for love."
Least favorite college course: one he called "mass extinction" in which students collected and killed "specimens."
Scar on nose is from: attempting to smell a poisonous sea anemone during mass extinction class.
Attitude toward people with unscientific ideas about dolphins: "If someone says a dolphin cured their arthritis, who am I to tell them that's impossible."
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bernd's Page
As the lead science advisor for Dolphins, Bernd Würsig helped guide the research and development of the film. Würsig, who has studied dolphins for more than 20 years, conducted the pioneering work on dusky dolphins in the 1970s in the waters of the Atlantic, off the southern coast of Argentina in Patagonia—a marine biologist's fantasy research lab, and one of the locations chosen for Dolphins.
Würsig is Professor of Marine Mammalogy, Director of the Marine Mammal Research Program, and Co-Director of the Institute of Marine Life Sciences at Texas A&M University. He researches the behavior and ecology of cetaceans and their interactions with birds, fish, and marine invertebrates; movement and migration patterns of dolphins and whales; marine mammals as partial indicators of ecosystem status; natural history and ecology of mammals; and use of research in formulating conservation/management strategies and policy. Würsig has authored 56 peer-reviewed papers, 35 articles for the public, and numerous reports in the fields of behavior, behavioral ecology, social systems, and conservation biology. He has also coproduced, narrated, or advised on 11 films since 1976.
Early on in his research, Würsig preferred to work with dolphins in the wild. He was the first to discover one of the reasons dolphins leap. He realized that they were actually looking for food. By leaping high, dolphins can see farther, thereby locating their prey by seeing flocks of birds feeding on schooling fish sometimes miles away.
Returning to Patagonia to film Dolphins was a way for the film's scientists, Kathleen Dudzinski and Alejandro Acevedo, to honor Würsig. Not only was he their senior Ph.D. advisor, but his pioneering work has become the foundation upon which other scientists in the field have built. In Dolphins, these three scientists work together as peers.
Personal Profile:
Lives with: his wife and collaborator, Melany, and son, Paul.
Typical exclamation: "yep, yep, uh-huh, yep," or, "woof woof."
Startling fact: never saw the sea until he was 19 years old.
Most likable feature: frequent and infectious laughter.
Fondest memory: studying dolphins in Patagonia with wife Melany 25 years ago.
Reaction when his former students, Kathleen and Alejandro, visited his old Patagonian study site: tears of pride.
Most transparent lie: "I'm not really a very emotional guy."
____________________________________________________________________________________
The JoJo Dolphin Project
www.deanandjojostory.com
Fifteen years ago, Dean Bernal was swimming in the ocean off the Turks and Caicos Islands in the British West Indies when he "met" a young, curious male bottlenose dolphin that was known by locals as "JoJo." JoJo followed Dean on his daily swim out to the reef, getting closer each time. Over time, the two bonded in a unique human/dolphin friendship. They still swim and play together, spending hours in the colorful coral reefs among sharks, manta rays, turtles, whale sharks and other dolphins. Says Bernal, "Our relationship is a trusting friendship."
It hasn’t always been fun for JoJo and Dean, however. JoJo was so curious about humans that he often approached tourists swimming, snorkeling and diving in the area. Unfortunately, people did not know how to behave around a wild animal. Some people would reach out to touch him, which was seen as aggressive behavior to JoJo, so he sometimes bit back at the offending hand. JoJo got a dangerous reputation and was soon in danger himself. Authorities were threatening to put him in captivity. Dean lead a campaign to become JoJo’s official caretaker and had JoJo declared a National Treasure. Now Dean works full-time to protect, not only JoJo, but all marine life in the Turks and Caicos. His work with JoJo has become well-known and has appeared in several television and film documentaries.
Solitary dolphins like JoJo are rare. Dolphins are highly social animals, but it’s their own kind with whom they most want to associate. In fact, there are only a few dolphins in the world that seek out human companions. So, why is JoJo alone? We don’t know. Bernal leads The JoJo Dolphin Project to help other stranded, injured or entangled dolphins, but also works internationally to protect rare, lone dolphins and whales like JoJo.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Dr. Randall Wells -- Science Advisor for Dolphins
Randy Wells is Director of Mote Marine Laboratory's Center for Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Research in Sarasota, Florida and a Conservation Biologist with The Chicago Zoological Society. Wells has more than twenty-five years experience working with marine mammals, including bottlenose, spinner and spotted dolphins, as well as gray, bowhead, blue and humpback whales. He directs research on the 100 or so resident bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay, which is the longest-running, most-comprehensive research on any dolphins in the world. Wells has worked with the program since 1970 when he became a teen volunteer at the lab. Today, he recognizes each member of the dolphin community by its markings, and since bottlenose dolphins may live 50 years or more, he has watched some of the bay's residents mature from young teen to great grandma. Wells and his science team identify and name each new member of the dolphin community. They also track their kinship ties through observation and DNA analysis, and in recent years have closely monitored the effects of water pollution and even sound pollution from the heavy boat traffic in the bay. Many other studies on dolphin communication and their social structure involve collaborations with scientists from all over the world.
Wells adds, "Dolphins have had to face enormous changes in their lives as humans make ever-increasing use of, and alterations to their habitat. The role of our long-term research program is to better understand the needs of the dolphins. Our goal is to promote the coexistence of dolphins and humans in the coastal environment, by providing the public and wildlife management agencies with the information they need for the animals' conservation."
Education:
1987 - Postdoctoral Fellow, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MA.
1986 - Ph.D. (Biology), University of California, Santa Cruz.
1978 - M.Sc. (Zoology), University of Florida, Gainesville.
1975 - B.A. (Zoology), University of South Florida, Tampa.
Learn more about Mote Marine Laboratory at http://www.mote.org/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Peter Tyack -- Science Advisor for Dolphins
Peter Tyack is a Senior Scientist in the Biology Department at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He is interested in social behavior and acoustic communication in whales and dolphins, and has conducted research on bottlenose dolphins, sperm whales, humpback whales, gray whales, right whales and bowhead whales. He has focused on developing new techniques to monitor vocal and social behavior of marine mammals. These include methods to tag whales, to locate their calls and for video monitoring of behavior.
Tyack's research has focused on how these animals use sound for critical activities. This made him sensitive to the possibility that human-made sounds might pose a risk to marine mammal populations by disrupting critical behaviors. He has been involved in the design, planning and field work for a series of experiments investigating the possible impact on marine mammals of a low frequency sonar, called SURTASS LFA, developed by the U.S. Navy. He is also studying risk factors for vessel collision in northern right whales, working to understand why northern right whales sometimes do not respond to oncoming vessels.
When did Tyack first become interested in whales and dolphins? He said, "My mother remembers that I was very excited one day when I was five. We had just read the book The Whales Go By. I had read fairy tales about things that were imaginary and everyday stories about normal life, but this was the first time I had learned from a book about something that was a real part of our world, but that was totally outside of my personal experience. She thinks that experience started my interest in marine mammals."
Education:
1982 - Ph.D. (Animal Behavior), Rockefeller University.
1976 - A.B. (Biology), Harvard University.
Discover Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute at http://www.whoi.edu/
___________________________________________________________________________________
So You Want To Be A
Marine Mammal Scientist...
In High School
Work with your guidance counselor to create a broad education that includes science and mathematics courses, computer science and a foreign language (dolphin research happens all over the world!). Good grades are essential. You should also begin seeking practical experiences such as jobs or volunteer work in museums, zoos or aquaria, with veterinarians or others . These valuable experiences will help you discover your interests and abilities, as well as help you make contacts within the field.
Undergraduate Studies
Most entry-level jobs in marine mammal science require a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in biology, chemistry, physics, geology, or psychology. A minor in any science, mathematics or engineering is also helpful. Good language and technical writing skills are essential.
Graduate Studies
Students are surprised to learn they may not have an opportunity to take a marine mammal class until they reach graduate school. When selecting a university to attend, it's important you are first accepted by a graduate advisor at that university, someone who shares your research interests. Consider dual majors or interdisciplinary training to broaden your research and career opportunities.
In addition to working with your guidance counselor, there are many professional websites, books and career guides you can consult for further information. Remember, if your goal is to be a marine mammal scientist, you must first be a good scientist!
Web links for marine biology schools and careers:
http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~smm/strat.htm
http://www.whoi.edu/SSMM/links.html
http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/marinebio/mbweb.html
http://scilib.ucsd.edu/sio/guide/career.html
http://www-marine.standford.edu/HMSweb/careers.html
____________________________________________________________________________________
Key Words:
biome A complex community of organisms
covering a large geographic region
that is characterized by distinctive life
forms of specialized species.
marine Having to do with or pertaining
to the sea.
Since the ecosystem of the ocean is complex,
the movement or elimination of even a
single species will affect the rest of the
system. For example, if the number of
shark predators was decreased, the
number of sick or weak dolphins
might increase.
This could make the
entire dolphin
pod less
Taking It Further:
Ask a representative
from a local ocean
conservation group to
visit the class. Partner with the organization for
beach/river clean-up events.
Visit another classroom sharing ways to keep
our waterways and oceans clean. Share ways each
student can help keep the ocean clean, even if
they live in a land-locked region.
Develop an ad campaign for saving dolphins
and preserving their environment. Students can
create posters, bumper stickers, banners and
songs to inform others of the need to keep the
oceans and waterways free from pollution.
Visit the Center for Marine Conservation
web site for marine mammal protection at
http://www.cmc-ocean.org/
________________________________________________________________________________
WhatÕs the
Chatter?
Key Words:
sound noise that is heard because of stimulation
of auditory nerves in the inner ear by
vibrations.
sound insulator a material that is a poor
conductor of sound waves or vibrations.
pitch the “highness”or “lowness”of a sound
which corresponds to its frequency.
frequency the number of vibrations per
second, or the distance between each wavelength
of a designated sound. Low frequency
sounds have long wavelengths, high frequency
sounds have short wavelenghts.
amplitude the size of each vibration of a
designated sound. Loud sounds make deep
vibrations, increasing the amplitude.
Objective: Students will listen to sounds as the
waves travel through a variety of objects.
In The Film: Standing at the water’s edge, you
are tempted to think that everything you hear
while on land is not audible under water, that
somehow that peaceful world is silent. In actuality,
the number of sounds that can be heard under
the water’s surface is astounding! The animated
clicks made by the dolphins in the film are very
well heard, and according to Dr. Dudzinski, travel
great distances under water. So do the sounds of
the entire underwater community.
Materials: Assemble sets of the following items,
one per group of four students:
n A waterproof watch that ticks
n A wooden dowel 31 inches (80 cm) long
n A metal rod 31 inches (80 cm) long
n Glass jar full of water (mayonnaise jar)
Teacher Prep Notes: NOTE: Do not use watches
that could be damaged by water for this activity.
This activity is designed to be done by small
groups of students, but can be adapted to be a
demonstration or a learning center station. For
this activity students need a quiet environment,
free from loud sounds. Ticking clocks, kitchen
timers, or other devices that emit frequent sharp
sounds may be used. Sturdy zip-lock bags can be
used to keep these devices
dry. If using a zip-lock bag,
remove as much air from the
bag as possible to allow the
noisy object inside to sink to
the bottom of the glass jar.
Background: The source of all sound is movement
or vibration. When an object vibrates or moves
rapidly, its moving parts emit sounds as they
vibrate. For example, a rubber band emits a low
buzzing sound if it is stretched and plucked.
Sound travels in waves that vary in length, which
determine the pitch of a sound. Higher pitched
sounds travel in shorter wavelengths, while lower
pitched sounds travel in long wavelengths.
Sound and sound waves can travel through
gas, solids and liquids, but objects that contain air
pockets tend to carry the sound waves poorly.
Acoustic tiles, carpet and heavy drapes are examples
of materials that are sound insulators.
In order for humans to hear sounds, the
vibrations travel through the air to our ears.
Human ears have specialized sound receptors
that are highly sensitive to these vibrations.
These sound receptors become stimulated by the
vibrations and register them as sound in the brain.
To Do: Have one student in each group hold a
ticking watch at arms length and determine if they
can hear the watch ticking from that distance.
Have them move the watch closer to them, until
they can hear it ticking. At what length could they
actually hear the watch ticking? Depending on
the volume of the tick, the watch will be audible
at various points. Allow all students in each group
to do this and have them determine who was able
to hear the ticking from the furthest distance.
1 One student in each group will hold the watch
so its back (the metal side) is flush with one
end of the wooden dowel. Ask them to hold
the other end of the wooden dowel against
the little flap of skin that is beside the opening
of their ear (see Diagram 4-B). NOTE: Do not
put the dowel in the ear!
2 Ask students to determine if they are able to
hear the ticking sound of the watch through
the wooden dowel. Have all students in the group perform the same procedure until all
students have heard the watch ticking through
the dowel.
3 Repeat the procedure, this time placing the
watch back flush with one end of the metal
rod. Again, have one student in each group
hold the other end of the rod to the flap of
skin near the ear, until they hear the ticking.
Have all students perform the procedure until
they have all heard the ticking, using the metal
rod.
4 Now, place the WATERPROOF watch at the
bottom of the jar of water. Ask one student
from each group to put his or her ear near (but
not touching) the jar. Can they hear the watch
ticking? Carefully, ask them to place their ear
directly onto the side of the jar. Can the ticking
be heard now?
5 Place one end of the wooden dowel against
the outside of the jar and the other to the flap
of skin on the ear (see Diagram 4-C). Ask the
students to predict if they will hear the ticking
as before with both the wooden dowel and the
metal rod. Is the ticking as clear as before?
Have them try the same procedure with the
metal rod. Continue the experiment until all
students have listened for the ticking from
within the glass jar. NOTE: Masking tape may
be used to secure the wooden dowel and
metal rod to the side of the jar for this portion
of the activity.
What happens if one end of the wooden
dowel is put into the water inside the jar?
Have students predict if placing the dowel will
conduct the ticking vibrations better from the
bottom of the jar, or from just under the surface
of the water. Perform the same procedure with
the metal rod. Ask students to determine which
part of the experiment allowed them to hear the
ticking of the watch the clearest. Which of the
materials provided
the best soundcarrying
ability
when heard from
the glass jar of
water? Was sound
carried best when
the dowel or rod
was placed further
into the water?
Challenge students
to experiment with
other items such as
plastic sticks or
string to see if
these items can
conduct sound as
effectively as the
dowel or metal rod.
What’s Going On & Why? Students may not
hear the ticking when the watch is held at arm’s
length, unless the watch produces a very loud
ticking sound. More often, the sound is too soft
to be heard at this distance so the ticking can be
heard more clearly when the watch is held closer
to the ear. The ticking is also clearly audible when
it is transmitted through the wooden dowel. The
wooden dowel is a solid that conducts sound
well. The sound waves that are generated in
the watch travel through the wood to the ear,
registering in the brain as sound. The metal rod is
a denser solid and is an even better conductor of
sound allowing students to hear an even stronger
ticking sound.
When the watch is placed into the jar of water,
they will not hear the ticking of the submerged
watch unless they place their ears directly onto
the jar. Depending on the watch, however, careful
visual observation may show tiny ripples in the
water. These ripples illustrate the watch vibrations.
When students place their ears directly onto
the glass jar they will hear stronger ticking because
water is a good conductor of sound. Individual
results will vary when students introduce the
wooden dowel and metal rod to the water. The
strength of the sound depends on the initial volume
and strength of the ticking sound. It also depends
on the amount of contact between the dowel or
the rod and the surface of the glass jar.
Dolphins can hear sound both in air and in
water. They are able to take advantage of the
increased sound conductivity of water and are
able to hear sounds more clearly underwater.
HIDDEN IDENTITIES
Objective: Students will research the traditional
Bahamian festival called Junkanoo, compare this
festival to one of Mainland USA, and construct
masks used to celebrate the Junkanoo festival.
In The Film: The colorful sights and the festive
sounds of the Bahamian culture provide a backdrop
to the blue-hued underwater world of the
film’s mammalian stars. The smiling faces of the
Bahamian children and the light-hearted music
add to the whimsy of the film as we share a few
of our cultural differences.
Materials:
n Cardboard cut into approximately 8x12 inch
(20 x 30 cm) rectangles
n Tagboard pieces of assorted sizes (to make
raised facial features)
n Papier Maché paste
n Newspaper strips
n Newspapers to cover work area
n Ribbon cut into 8 inch (20 cm) lengths
n Scissors
n Pencils
n Masking tape
n Glue
n Assorted feathers, sequins,
beads, crepe paper
n Access to Library or
Internet to research
Bahamian culture
Teacher Prep Notes: Adult supervision is
required during all portions of this activity!
The activity is designed to be done in several class
sessions. Follow package directions for Papier
Maché, including prescribed clean-up procedures.
Papier Maché can be purchased at most hobby
stores. Cover all workspace with newspapers and
allow all Junkanoo masks to dry completely before
applying paint. Check out an audio cassette tape
from the local library with Bahamian music. Play
the tape for the class as they create their masks.
Background: One of the most notable cultural
celebrations of the Bahamian people is their
Junkanoo festival. This festival, for many, is synonymous
with the Bahamas and provides historic
insight to the Bahamian culture. The Junkanoo
festival is thought to have begun in the 16th or
17th century, at a time when the slave trade was
in full swing. At that time, slaves employed on
Bahamian plantations were given two special days
off for African (and later Caribbean) dance, music
and costumed celebrations with family and friends.
Over the years the celebration has continued and
today resembles the Mardi Gras (in New Orleans
or Rio de Janeiro) combined with the Mummer’s
Parade. The Mummer’s Parade is a cultural festival
which takes place annually in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.
The word for the festival itself (Junkanoo or
Jonkonnu) also has obscure roots. Some historians
say that the word comes from the French term
“Líinconnuî”(meaning unknown), in reference to
the masks worn by partygoers to disguise them.
The Scottish settlers called the festival “junk
enoo,”meaning “junk enough”referring to the
flashy decorated masks and elaborate costumes.
The more accepted story naming the festival,
however, is found in Bahamian-African folklore.
An African tribal chief named “John Canoe”was
said to have demanded the right to celebrate with
his people after being brought to the West Indies
during the slave trade. Whatever the origin, the
Junkanoo Festival is a cultural
highlight for the people of the
Bahamas.
In Junkanoo celebrations,
elaborate masks are constructed with
Papier Maché. The masks are then painted
with colorful patterns and adorned with feathers
and crepe paper. Elaborate costumes that match
the masks are designed by clan leaders and are
worn during the festival. People wearing the colorful
outfits short-step or merengue along the street,
T E A C H E R G U I D E 12
ac t ivity
FIVE
Key Words:
sound noise that is heard because of stimulation
of auditory nerves in the inner ear by
vibrations.
sound insulator a material that is a poor
conductor of sound waves or vibrations.
pitch the “highness”or “lowness”of a sound
which corresponds to its frequency.
frequency the number of vibrations per
second, or the distance between each wavelength
of a designated sound. Low frequency
sounds have long wavelengths, high frequency
sounds have short wavelenghts.
amplitude the size of each vibration of a
designated sound. Loud sounds make deep
vibrations, increasing the amplitude.
4-B
4-C
beating goat-skinned drums, cowbells, or blowing
conch shells in a very flashy parade.
African rhythms and Caribbean Calypso beats,
combined with English folk songs are blended to
create a unique “Goombay”sound.“Goom-bahhh”
refers to the sound of the fast paced drumbeat
indicative of the Junkanoo Festival.
To Do:
1 Have each student place a cardboard rectangle
to their face. Teachers and adults will mark
eye, nose and mouth holes with a pencil.
Students will carefully cut out the holes and
make sure that the eyeholes match their
vision. NOTE: Older students can pair up to
mark holes in the cardboard, but careful
supervision is needed!
2 Once the holes are cut, task students with
designing their masks. They may use masking
tape to secure bunches of paper to create
raised eyebrows, pointy noses or chins.
3 Once the facial features are secured, begin
applying the Papier Maché. Follow manufacturer
directions for the type of Papier Maché
used. Make sure students cover the entire
mask surface with Papier Maché and create
even layers over all the facial features attached.
The final layer of Papier Maché should be
made as smooth as possible, as this will be the
surface upon which students paint.
4 Place masks onto newspapers to dry completely.
5 Students may then paint their masks with
Tempura paints. Encourage students to use
elaborate designs and colorful paint combinations.
Once the paint is dry, have students glue
on feathers, sequins and other colorful objects
as decoration. Use
glue or tape to secure
ribbon to mask, one
on either side.
6 When masks and
decorations are dry,
have each student tie
the ribbon around
their head to put on
the mask. Ask students to move their bodies
according to how the mask makes them feel.
Taking It Further: Ask students to create entire
costumes that match the masks. Have students
model the costumes for the class. Costumes can
be displayed for parent nights.
Make drums or play African or Caribbean music
while masked students dance around the room.
Organize a Junkanoo Festival at your school
where masked students file through classrooms,
dancing and moving to the beat of drums and
cowbells.
Invite students to make class presentations
about festivals that are important to their cultures,
comparing them to the Junkanoo festival or other
cultural festivals
Feeling a Little
Off Balance?
Objective: Students will use the scientific
method as they introduce chemicals into an
aquatic ecosystem and record the changes that
occur to that system.
In The Film: Dolphins and every other creature
under the sea live together in a delicately balanced
environment. Each of the dolphin’s neighbors,
including humans, plays an important role in
maintaining the marine life cycle. Whether it is
keeping waterways free from chemical spills or free
from dead animal carcass debris, each member of
the environment plays an important role. The
interaction between all creatures in the community
makes survival of all species possible.
Materials:
n Two large wide-mouthed glass jars (clean
mayonnaise jars)
n Pond water (enough to fill each jar at least
half full)
n Eight small Elodea or other inexpensive aquatic
plants
n Liquid house plant food
n A teaspoon
n Notebooks
n Pencils
n Wax paper
n Rubber bands
Teacher Prep Notes: This activity is designed to
take several weeks. Pond water can be purchased
from a lab supply company. Elodea plants can be
purchased at a pet store that sells plants for fresh
water aquariums.You may be able to get pond
water from the pet store but make sure that the
water is relatively clear and does not smell of
ammonia. Students can keep track of daily observations
in a journal notebook. Depending on
resources available, student teams may be created
for each set of two ecosystem jar sets.
Background: Generally, members of any ecosystem
fall into three basic categories: producers,
consumers and decomposers. Green plants and
algae are called producers and form the most
basic strata of an ecosystem. Producers use water,
sunlight, carbon dioxide and environmental nutrients
as food.
Consumers are part of the ecosystem that feeds
directly upon the producers and does not produce
its own food. Animals, birds and insects are members
of the consumer strata of an ecosystem. Humans
are also consumers, but they, unlike animals, can
grow and make their own synthetic food.
The members of an ecosystem who feed
on dead organisms are called decomposers.
Decomposers break dead organisms down into
simpler components, which in turn give nutrients
back to the ecosystem’s producers. Decomposed
organisms provide food for producers. The producers
provide food for the consumers. When any organism
in the ecosystem dies, it provides food for the
decomposers, thus completing the cycle. This
complex interaction between community members
continues in every healthy ecosystem, be it landbased
or aquatic.
To Do:
1 Students will label their jars “A”and “B.”
2 Students will then fill each jar equally full with
pond water.
3 They will then carefully place four Elodea in
each jar, making sure not to damage the
aquatic plants.
4 Under close supervision, students will add
1/2 teaspoon (2.46 ml) of plant food to the jar
marked “B.”Jar sets will then need to be placed
in well-lit areas of the room in locations where
they will not be bumped.
5 After the first week of the experiment, loosely
cover each jar with wax paper. Punch several
small holes into the waxed paper with the
pencil tip. This will keep the pond water from
evaporating from the jars during the experiment.
Students will make observations about each
jar’s contents over the next four weeks in their
notebooks. Ask students to diagram the location
of the jars and indicate proximity to light sources
in their notebooks. Students should note if and
T E A C H E R G U I D E 14
ac t ivity
SIX
Feeling a Little
Off Balance?
when the jars are affected by direct sunlight. Ask
students to make daily predictions about what will
occur in each of the jars. Students can make daily
observations about plant size, water and plant
quality, and indicate any changes in their notebooks.
At the end of each week, students can share
results. After two weeks, supervise students as they
add another 1/2 teaspoon (2.46 ml) of plant food
to jar “B.”Have them predict what will happen with
the addition of more plant food. Students should
continue to observe their jars and continue to make
notes in their journals for the next two weeks.
After four weeks, have students address each
of the following questions in their journals, based
on their findings.
• What was the control in this experiment?
• Why were the jars placed next to each other in
a well-lit area?
• What effect did the plant food have on the
Elodea plants? What happens to the plant
color? Texture? Shape?
• What effect did adding more plant food have on
the Elodea? What does the addition of plant
food have on the water quality?
• Plant food contains high levels of nitrogen,
phosphorous and potassium. These nutrients
are often present in sewage as well. Predict the
effects of sewage dumping into the waterways.
What’s Going On & Why? Each of the jars in
this experiment contains living and non-living
elements that contribute to an ecosystem. The
plants are living, while the water, nutrients and
sunlight are not living. The ecosystem produced
in each jar produces a healthy cycle if nothing
interferes with the system. In this activity,
the addition of the plant food interfered
with the natural cycle of that ecosystem.
When the plant food was
added, the amount of nutrients
available for the plants
increased, but not by
members of the
ecosystem. Plants in
jar “B”received more
nutrients than the
plants in the other
jar not only because
of the addition of
plant food, but by
the nutrients that
naturally occur in
the ecosystem.
Additional nutrients
caused the plants in
jar “B”to grow faster than the plants in jar “A.”
When more plant food is added, we may
think that the plants will become more prolific.
Depending on the pond water, however, and the
plants themselves, the ecosystem may actually
begin to pollute itself with bi-products of rapid
growth. While the additional nutrients of the
plant food may seem to be beneficial for the
plants, their addition can saturate the ecosystem.
The water in jar “B”
will soon become
cloudy and eventually
the plants in this jar
will die because the
system is no longer
functioning in balance.
A real-life example
of this can be seen in
areas where untreated
sewage is dumped
into local waterways.
The addition of the
sewage causes an
increased growth of algae and other plants which
increases plant growth in the area. The increased
plant growth will provide more food for fish or
other consumers. More consumers eating the
plants will increase the levels of waste products
and dead organisms found in that ecosystem. This
will increase the number of decomposers and the
amount of material the decomposers will act upon,
again increasing the levels of nutrients into the
water, upsetting the natural balance of the system.
When an ecosystem becomes saturated with nutrients,
it is called eutrophication. Eutrophication does
occur naturally, but the effects are often accelerated
by human presence (untreated sewage or other
pollution) in the ecosystem.
Taking It Further: Repeat the experiment but
change some of the variables:
• Add measured amounts of plant food each
week. Use different types of aquatic plants.
• Put jars in a shady location. Use different types
of plant foods.
Listen
& Learn
Objective: Students will access dolphin and
cetacean sounds from the World Wide Web and
discuss the similarities and differences in the
sounds.
In The Film: Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski has committed
her life to cracking the code for dolphin
communication. She has taken hundreds of hours
to become familiar with the variety of sounds
made by the dolphins she studies. The squeaks
and squawks are meaningless to most of us and
Dr. Dudzinski is working to change that.
Materials: Access to a computer with the following
capabilities:
n IBM computer with Internet Explorer 4.0 or
better.
n Macintosh computer with Netscape Navigator
4.0 or better.
n Multimedia compatible with speakers needed
for either Mac or PC.
Teacher Prep Notes: The Internet addresses
that are included in this activity illustrate some of
the sounds made by dolphins and whales. The
information about dolphins, whales, other marine
animals or links to other web sites does not necessarily
reflect the ideas and opinion of the organization(
s) developing this guide, the producers of
the film, or the scientific community. If access to
the Internet is not possible, CDs of dolphin
sounds can be purchased from Cornell Laboratory
of Ornithology’s Bioacoustics Program. Contact:
Connie Gordon (607) 254-2408.
Depending on the types of computer resources
available, downloading time may require some
consideration. This activity can be done as an
activity center. Have students fill out a survey
form generated from the questions listed below.
Background: Through use of the World Wide Web,
students are able to see and hear things they normally
would not, due to their geographic location.
The subject of dolphins and the sounds they
make is an example of this. By using the web,
students can listen to a variety of dolphin (and
whale) sounds to gain an appreciation for the way
these animals communicate using vocal sounds.
To Do: Arrange students into groups of two or
three around each available computer.
1 Have students take turns logging onto each of
the Internet sites listed below. Students will
find the desired
sounds if they follow
the prompts on each
page, looking for buttons
indicating dolphin
or whale sounds.
2 When the sound sites are
found, ask students to watch as the sound files
download onto their computers. They will see a
small dialogue box indicating the time and size
of the Internet file that is being downloaded. A
small sliding bar will inform students when
the download is complete.
3 When ready, ask students to click on the start
button within the dialogue box and watch as
the sound indicator bar moves across the box.
Students will need to listen carefully as the bar
begins to move across the box; when it begins
to move, the recorded sounds will begin to
play. Some of the listed sounds are faint and
some recordings are very brief. Have them
practice the process until they are familiar with
how to access the sounds.
6 When students feel they are ready to do a
detailed listening observation of each of the
sites, have them make notes about each
sound. Then discuss the questions listed below.
• How are the sounds different between whales
and dolphins?
• How are the sounds similar?
• How many different types of sounds can you
hear in each selection? Does one particular
animal make the sound, or could another have
made it?
• How did each sound make you feel as you
listened?
• What is the difference between the long sounds
and the short ones?
• If the sounds had human meaning, what would
each sound mean to you?
• Did the sounds remind you of any other types
of sounds? Which ones?
Whale Sound Web Sites
http://www.cs.sfu.ca/research/Whales/
http://asa.aip.org/sound.html
http://www.cetaceanresearch.com/sounds.html
What’s Going On & Why? The World Wide Web
has become a popular avenue for conducting
research because of its availability for many segments
of the population. Schools, homes, science
centers and museums have designated computers
for Internet access. It is through this seemingly
simple technological advancement that we are able
to educate ourselves about a myriad of subjects.
The web sites that are included in this activity
illustrate this. Any person who has access to the
Internet, via a computer, can pull up and listen to
the sounds of animals with which they may not
be familiar. The ability to listen to these animals
will provide us with an appreciation for them, and
hopefully a new level of respect, while they are
prompted to learn more. Educating ourselves,
via the Internet, can provide us with valuable
experiences that will assist us in making appropriate
decisions and taking appropriate actions. In this
case, the conservation of dolphins, whales and other
marine animals. Students who hear the sound of
a dolphin may become as interested as Dr. Kathleen
Dudzinski did in the communication patterns of
the dolphin, and find
themselves aiming for a
career in marine biology.
While the Internet
offers what seems to be
extensive information
on virtually every
subject imaginable,
we must still verify the
results of any research
activity with professionals. At the present time,
there are no guidelines or proofreaders for the mass
of material available to Internet users. People can
publish web pages and documents that may not
contain valid or reliable information and we would
not know it.
It is important
to note that
information
taken from
the Internet, at
least from ones
that may not
be familiar to
you, must be
confirmed with
professionals.
Do not take all
that you see
on the Internet
as fact until
you have
researched it
further!
Dolphin Sound Web Sites
http://www.seaworld.org/bottlenose dolphin/echo
dol.html
http://www.human-dolphin.org/sounds/index.html
http://neptune.atlantis-intl.com/dolphins/
T E A C H E R G U I D E 16
ac t ivity
SEVEN
Listen
& Learn
Uncommon
Sense!
Objective: Students will practice echolocation as
a way to identify objects and positions.
In The Film: While underwater, Dr. Kathleen
Dudzinski observes the behavior of many dolphins.
She uses her specially designed video array to
detect and, hopefully, decipher the sounds made
by the animals she studies. The distinct chirps,
squeaks, squawks, whistles and clicks dolphins make
seem to represent some sort of communication
between them. Are these sounds used only when
the animals are communicating, or do they make
sounds for other purposes? Scientists tell us that
these animals find hidden prey (or even each
other) in the vast ocean by using their specially
evolved echolocation systems.
Materials:
n A large room or a large outdoor area
n A blindfold
n Pencil
n Paper
Teacher Prep Notes: This activity is designed to
be done in a classroom but can be effectively done
on the playground or in
a large indoor or outdoor
space. Caution
should be used when
students are blindfolded.
The activity can be done
with obstacles, such as
desks and chairs, in
place. Continue the
activity until all students
get the chance to
be “it”or conduct the activity over several days.
Students may record their experiences as part of a
creative writing exercise.
Background: Animals who live in darkness or in
murky waters have evolved to be able to hunt in
these environments. They use a highly specialized
type of sonar to help them detect objects in their
surroundings. Dolphins and bats are animals who
have adapted to their environments by developing
echolocation systems.
To Do:
1 Gather students in a central location of the
room. Ask them to listen to the sounds around
them. Ask them to list what sounds they hear
and determine if the sounds tell them anything
about the location of the sound-maker. For
example, do the sounds from the birds chirping
from the window tell students anything
about where the birds are located? Do the
sounds from the hallway tell them anything
about where the hall-walkers are or what they
are doing?
2 Now ask students to make clicking sounds
with their tongues. Make sure that each student
is able to make the same sound and that
each person is able to make the sound loud
enough to be heard by the entire group.
3 Select one person to be “it”and ask them to
wear the blindfold. This person will stand in
the center of the room. To disorient this person,
have them turn around in place three times and
ask them to search out and tag class members.
The person with the blindfold should make
clicking sounds whenever he or she needs
information (update on student locations)
about the others. The person who is “it”must
rely upon hearing to find classmates. When
another class member is tagged they will sit
out and observe the remainder of the activity.
The other class members will not be blindfolded.
They will each walk around the room,
trying not to be tagged by the person wearing
the blindfold. These students are free to go
anywhere in the room but they must repeat
the clicking sound each time it is made by the
person with the blindfold. The clicking sound
is the only sound that any class member may
make once the activity begins. NOTE:
Students may not run during this activity!
The person with the blindfold will emit
clicks and will receive answer clicks from the
other class members, which will tell the locations
of the students. Continue the activity until
more than half of the class has been tagged.
Once the activity is over, ask the student who
wore the blindfold to describe his or her experiences.
• Did they have an easy time finding their classmates?
Why or why not?
• Could they easily hear the clicking sounds
locating the other students?
• What outside factors affected how well they
heard the clicking sounds?
• How effective at avoiding being tagged were
the other students?
T E A C H E R G U I D E 20
ac t ivity
NINE
Uncommon
Sense!
FACT BOX: The use of echolocation
gives dolphins a very detailed image of
their surroundings. Dolphins may actually
be able to locate a pea-sized object from
a distance of between 16 to 656 feet (5
to 200 m) and they may be able to determine
if a female dolphin is pregnant by
the types of echoes returned to them.
• Did they find the clicks to be helpful when
trying to avoid being tagged?
Discuss how this land-based version of
echolocation can be related to how dolphins and
bats use this specialized tool.
What’s Going On & Why? Dolphins transmit
high-frequency sound waves (higher than can be
detected by the human ear) to get an auditory
image of their surroundings. This is called echolocation
and is a highly developed adaptation found
primarily in bats and dolphins. Dolphins use
echolocation to determine size, shape, speed,
distance, direction and maybe even internal
structures of objects in the water.
During echolocation, dolphins produce ultrasonic
clicks from within their nasal passages and
emit them through the rounded front of their head.
This area contains the melon, a fluid-filled organ
that acts as an acoustic lens to focus sound into
beams. The fluid in the melon is the same density
as the seawater. The sound waves travel through
fluids with similar densities without distortion.
This gives a clearer signal to the dolphin.
The clicks travel through the water, bounce
off an object and send an echo back to the dolphin.
When the echoes return to the dolphin, the animal’s
lower jaw acts as a receptor for them. The jaw
contains a fluid-filled cavity where these echoes
are passed along, via
the auditory nerve, to
the middle then inner
ear of the animal, and
finally to hearing
centers of the brain.
In this activity, the
student who wore the
blindfold emitted a
clicking sound each
time he or she required
information about
their surroundings.
They made the clicking
sound primarily when
they wanted to know if another student was
within tagging range and this represents the
sounds made by dolphins who use echolocation.
The clicking sounds made by the other students
in the class represent the echoes that are returned
to the dolphin, giving it information about its
surroundingS.
Key Words:
sonar an apparatus that transmits and
receives sound waves in water. Sonar is
used in submarines to locate (and possibly
identify) water depth and other objects.
echolocation the auditory feedback
system used by some animals which
allows them to pick up reflected echoes
from sounds generated by objects in the
water providing the animal with information
to determine an object’s location.
Talk
the Talk
Key Words:
taxonomy the arrangement of animal
and plant classification names.
binomial nomenclature binomial means
consisting of two names while nomenclature
designates a system of naming.
genus a classification of related plants
or animals that is the subdivision of a
family.
species the classification of closely
related plants and animals that follows
the genus category.
Students will identify Greek and
Latin root words that are used to classify dolphins.
In the Film: Years of observation have given the
scientists highlighted in the film the opportunity to
recognize specific dolphin species. Of the close to
40 species of dolphins living in our Earth’s oceans,
only three are highlighted on the huge screen.
Through provocative camera angles, we can see
their individuality in body colorings, shape or size.
After seeing these specific species on film, how
successful would you be at identifying them if you
saw them in the open ocean? This is an issue that
the scientists have had to deal with in order to
conduct their research and have resolved it by
using ancient terms from the past.
Materials:
n Copies of Talk the Talk copy page
n Pencils for writing.
Teacher Prep Notes: This activity can be done
by individual students or in student pairs. In order
to stimulate students,
display a poster depicting
several species of
dolphins and whales as
they work through the
activity. Students may
get visual clues that
will assist them in the
identification. As students
memorize the
levels of plant and animal
classification, assist
them with a mnemonic
device. A mnemonic
device is a system for
improving memory by
the use of a formula derived of letters. Example:
“King Phillip Came Over For Good Spaghetti”.
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus,
Species.
Background: In the fourth century B.C., Greek
philosopher Aristotle developed a system to classify
all living things. His system divided organisms
into two large groups: plants and animals. He
then divided these into three sub-groups according
to the way the organisms moved. For animals,
this classification included those that flew, swam
and walked. Plants were classified by growing
seasons and plant types. Each group was given
Latin or Greek terms that described the properties
of that organism. Some organisms were given up
to 12 Greek or Latin names for identification!
By the eighteenth century, Swedish scientist
Carolus Linnaeus expanded that system to one
that used binomial nomenclature, a more logical
way of naming organisms. Binomial nomenclature
gives each organism two scientific names indicating
both the genus and species. Greek or Latin
terms were used in this naming system.
In the 200+ years since, scientists have further
adjusted the naming system.We know more about
the organisms living on Earth now than ever before.
Using what we have learned about organisms and
their evolutionary relationships, the classification
system has been expanded. All living things are
now classified into seven major groups: kingdom,
phylum, class, order, family, genus and species.
All dolphins are in the Kingdom Animalia,
the Phylum Chordata, the Class Mammalia and
the order Cetacea. Most dolphins are grouped
together into a family called Delphinidae, which
is part of the sub-order Odontoceti, or toothed
whales. Delphinids include the well-known
bottlenose dolphin, the common dolphin and the
killer whale.
To Do: Distribute Talk the Talk pages to each
student and ask them to use the key to name the
dolphins listed.
What’s Going on & Why? Like other animals,
dolphins can be identified two ways, by the
common name and the scientific name. Common
names can get confusing, especially when one
scientist might call a certain animal “short-snouted
dolphin,”another may call it a “spinner dolphin”
and still others may call it a “clymene dolphin.”
With all of these different names, how can scientists
be sure they are observing and communicating
about the same animal? The scientific names,
formed by the genus and species names, are used
to clarify what type of animal is being observed
or discussed. A Clymene or short-snouted spinner
dolphin is known as Stenella clymene (Stenella is
the genus name and clymene is the species
name).
NOTE: This activity was adapted from materials provided by Sea
World, Inc. and was used with permission. If you would like more
information on marine animals and classroom activities, please contact
the Sea World San Diego Education Department: (619) 226-3834.
acutus: sharp, pointed
albus: white
australis: southern
borealis: northern
caeruleus: sky blue
crassus: thick
crucis: cross
dens: tooth
delphis: dolphin
gero: bear, carry
grampus: a kind of
whale (great fish)
griseus: gray
lagen: bottle, flask
lisso: smooth
obscurus: dark,
indistinct
orca: a kind of whale
ops: face
pseudos: false
rostris: beak, snout
rhynchos: beak,
snout
stenos: narrow
truncare: cut off
tursio: dolphinlike
Did You Know? Porpoises (and whales) also
belong to the order Cetacea, but porpoises belong
to there own family, Phocoenidae. These animals
are actually quite different than dolphins for they
have shorter snouts, different shaped top, or dorsal,
fins and spade-shaped teeth
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Whale
T E A C H E R G U I D E 24
RESOURCES
Amazing Mammals Part II,
NatureScope, National Wildlife
Federation,Washington D.C., 1998
A World Beneath the Waves. Whales,
Dolphins and Porpoises,
Sea World Education Department,
San Diego, CA 1998Biology: Life on Earth,
Teresa Audesirk and Gerald Audesirk,
Prentice-Hall,
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey,1996
Biology: The Study of Life,
William D. Schraer and Herbert J. Stoltze,
Prentice-Hall,
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 1999
Bottlenose Dolphins,
Sea World Education Department,
San Diego, CA, 1996
Diving Into Oceans,
NatureScope, National Wildlife
Federation,Washington D.C, 1998
Dolphins, Tim Cahill
National Geographic Books,
Washington, D.C., 2000.
Dolphins Teacher’s Guide,
Grades K-3 and 4-8, Sea World
Education Dept, San Diego, CA, 1996.
Dolphins and Porpoises,
Richard Ellis,
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,NewYork, NY, 1982
Exploring Life Science,
Prentice-Hall,
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 1995
Great Creatures of the World: Dolphins
and Porpoises,
Janelle Hatherly and Delia Nicholls,
Facts on File, New York, NY, 1990
Inside the Human Body,
Teacher Created Materials, Inc.,
San Diego, CA, 1996
Marine Science,
Thomas F. Greene,
AMSCO School Publications,
New York, NY, 1998
Motion, Forces, and Energy,
Prentice-Hall Science,
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 1997
Physical Science,
Addison-Wesley, Menlo Park, CA, 1984
Sierra Club Guides,
Leathwood & Reeves, Sierra Club, 1983
Teaching Children About Physical Science:
Ideas and Activities Every Teacher and
Parents Can Use, Elaine Levenson,
TAB Books, A Division of McGraw-Hill,
Inc.Washington, D.C., 1994
The Physical Education Handbook,
Niel Schmottlach and Jerre McManama,
Allyn and Bacon, Needham Heights,
MS, 1997
Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises: The
Visual Guide to All the Worlds Cetaceans,
Mark Carwardine, Eyewitness
Handbooks,
DK Publishing, New York, 1995.
WEB SITES
Dolphin Information
http://www.dolphinsfilm.com
http://www.dolphinquest.org
http://www.nwf.org
http://www.seaworld.org/bottlenose_
dolphin/behavdol.html
http://whale.wheelock.edu/archives/
whalenet95/0069.html
http://www.nmml.AFSC.NOAA.gov
http://www.nmfs.gov/prot_res/
http://www.polaris.net/~rblacks/
dolphins.htm
http://www.radiocamp.com/dolphin/
behavior.html
http://www.whaleclub.com/promote/
jump2whaleclub.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/
subjects/whales/glossary/Echolocation
.shtml
http://www.maineaquarium.com/
alinks.html
http://www.oregoncoast.com/Whales.
htm
http://www.birminghamzoo.com/ao/
marinmam.htm
http://www.tmmc.org/dolphins.htm#
Dolphins
http://whales.magna.com.au/
DISCOVER/DOLPHINSdolpl.html
http://daphne.palomar.edu/animal/
links.htm#top
http://www.dolphin-institute.org
Related Information
Bahamas
http://www.interknowledge.com/
bahamas/thepeople.html
http://travel12.epicurious.com
http://thebahamas.com/
http://www.go-abacos.com
International Flags
http://www.flagsunlimitedinc.com
Patagonia Information
http://www.greentravel.com/
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We wish to recognize the following
individuals who contributed to this
study guide:
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center,
San Diego, California:
Lynne Kennedy, Deputy Executive
Director, Education and Exhibits
Aly Evans, Education Manager
Tim R. Tischer, Education Specialist
Advisors
Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski
Barbara Flagg
Multimedia Research
Simone Bloom Nathan
Media Education Consultants
Debbie Nuzzolo
Education Manager
Sea World San Diego
Chris Palmer
President and CEO,
National Wildlife Federation
Margaret E. Tunstall
Director NWF Classroom Programs,
National Wildlife Federation
Jill Lewandowski
Adminstrator, Conservation Program,
National Wildlife Federation
James H. Goddard
Director of Education,
Denver Museum of Natural History
Laura Campbell
Department Manager,
Denver Museum of Natural History
Design
Jeff Girard
Greg Murray
Victoria Street Graphic Design,
San Clemente, CA
Illustration
Phil Roberts
Project Management
Alice Casbara
MacGillivray Freeman Films
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