White-Beaked Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) Cooperating with Humans and Showing Altruism Toward Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena)

Abstract

In an odontocete rehabilitation center in the Netherlands, repeated observations were made over several days of interspecific cooperative behavior initiated by three white-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris)—that is, mutually beneficial cooperation with humans and altruism toward three harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). In the first observation (mutually beneficial cooperation), a white-beaked dolphin cooperated on her own initiative with humans to herd a harbor porpoise toward a veterinary treatment/feeding area in the pool. In the second observation (altruism), two recently recovered white-beaked dolphins assisted newly arrived harbor porpoises with swimming. These first recorded examples of interspecific mutually beneficial cooperation and altruism initiated by white-beaked dolphins will help to elucidate the motivation behind such behavior and the potential fitness benefits resulting from it.