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Loner Dolphins Produce as Many Offspring

Bianca Nogrady, ABC Science Online

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But as the strategy spread from mother to daughter, competition increased and the advantage shrinks to the point where the behavior reaches a kind of equilibrium that is "evolutionarily stable," Brooks said.

The other unusual feature of this behavior is that it is transmitted from mother to daughter only, and does not spread to other members of the dolphin group or male offspring.

The researchers suggest this is because the male offspring are more concerned with getting to know other male dolphins and forming alliances necessary for successful mating in the future.

Tool use among non-human animals in the wild is rare, and attracts considerable interest among animal researchers.

"I think we are always interested in questions that suggest that animals are more similar to us than we might have previously thought," said Brooks.

Related Links:

Animal Planet

How Stuff Works: Dolphins