An international research project has been launched to study the unique cooperative behavior between Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins and artisanal fishers in Ashtamudi Lake, Kerala.

About the Dolphin–Fisher Cooperation

• This rare example of strategic human–wildlife cooperation involves dolphins driving dense schools of fish toward shallow shoreline waters. 
• The dolphins then signal fishers with a tail-slap or roll, prompting immediate casting of nets.
• Fishers secure a successful catch, while dolphins feed on the scattered fish.

About the Study 

• Title: The Ecology and Evolution of Cultural and Cooperative Behaviour among Dolphins and Humans
• It is supported by National Geographic Society and coordinated globally by Oregon State University.
• Aim: To understand the mechanisms driving cooperation between wild dolphins and fishers.
• Objective: The research includes a comparative analysis across three countries—India, Brazil, and Myanmar—across two continents, focusing on the evolution of complex interspecies cooperation and the cultural and ecological factors enabling such behaviors.

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About Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) 

• Overview: It is a coastal dolphin species found in shallow tropical and subtropical waters along the Indian Ocean
• Habitat: They  are found in localised areas of patchy distributions mainly in shallow waters very close to the shore and around river mouths and estuaries.
• Diet: They primarily feed on fish like mackerel, mullet, sardines and pomfret found along the shallow estuarine areas.
• Conservation Status:
  • It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
  • Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
• Distinguishing Feature: The species is recognized by a distinctive hump beneath the dorsal fin, a slender beak, and a preference for slow swimming in shallow waters.

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