Foreign Languages: Animal Communication

Social behavior in mammals other than humans has always been something that has fascinated not only scientists, but the general population as well. Large mammals known to exhibit similar behaviors to humans have always been popular favorites at zoos and aquariums. Curiosity and fascination strikes when observing primates making gestures as if communicating in a foreign language, or seals dancing and striking their flippers together. Mammals are capable of displaying a wide range of interesting behaviors and among those that fascinate us is the way they communicate. What are they trying to say; anything at all? To convey a message is the idea of communication. “C­­ommunication involves the provision of information (via a signal) by a sender to a receiver, and subsequent use of this information by the receiver in deciding how or whether to respond" (Bradbury, Vehrencamp 15). This can be done by various means, by the use of body language, noise, or smell. Nearly all mammals use these tactics to communicate; with one another, and with humans doing so both verbally and silently. The music of the mammals, whether it is auditory, chemical, visual, or physical interactions, animals have found a way to communicate using foreign languages.

The bottlenose dolphin, a tropic water clown, can be equated to a joyful child, bubbling with enthusiasm. Playfully hopping around their watery playground all day long, enticing people by using their joyful squeaks and friendly gestures, making people wonder what exactly they are trying to communicate. Dolphins are among the most admired sea creatures and have shown great capacity for intelligence. A great deal of attention paid to these aquatic mammals is in regard to the types of communication they ...

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...niffing out chemical signals and sending their own in order to communicate with other nest mates.

Greeting their owners at the door, wagging their tails furiously and hopping around as if the ground their paws rest on were on fire, our furry pals have a unique way of communicating. (Dogs feel empathy)

Works Cited

"Ants - Communication." - Called, Signals, Tactile, and Kin. N.p, Web. 23 Feb. 2014.

Bradbury, J. W., and Sandra Lee Vehrencamp. Principles of Animal Communication. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, 1998. Print.

Resh, Vincent H., and Ring T. Cardé. Encyclopedia of Insects. Amsterdam: Academic, 2003. Print.

"The Secret Language of Dolphins." National Geographic Kids. National Geographic Society, 2014. Web. 20 Feb. 2014.

Williams, Andrew. "Ants - Communication." - Called, Signals, Tactile, and Kin. Critterzone.com, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.