Author: jess marin
Position: author
E-mail: delfineloscuro@hotmail.com
Submitted Date: November 08, 2007
Published Date: November 9, 2007
This comment was originally posted as a “Reader Response” on the publication date indicated above. All Reader Responses are now available as comments.

"Dolphins are the only mammal, other than humans, shown capable of extensive and rich vocal and behavioral mimicry."

What about elephants? Kosik the Asian elephant can mimic a human voice and elephants have demonstrated the ability to mimic movement, as well.

Elephants brains are more complex than humans and apes and their hippocampus, which processes emotion as well as memory is larger than that of any dolphin, ape, or human. So where do elephants fit in compared with dolphins? Emotional richness is one of the things we class as being highly intelligent, so wouldn't elephants surpass every other species, including humans on this one?

Also, you state dolphins can recognize themselves in a mirror. So, that includes all 38 species? It would be more accurate to say "Bottlenose dolphins are self aware" as dolphins is a very broad group who range hugely in intelligence.