Dolphins Sometimes Commit Suicide

Dolphins are among the most intelligent animals in the world, second only to humans and surpassing primates in intelligence. They have the ability to think abstractly, solve issues, and seem to experience a lot of emotional upheaval. So much so that dolphins are capable of committing suicide. A dolphin display at an aquarium will be different now that you know that a dolphin can think about the world almost as humans do. Imagine being made to perform tricks and swim for an audience every day. Or act in front of the camera, as did Kathy, one of the dolphins who portrayed Flipper on the TV show.

Richard O'Barry, his trainer, claimed he was in the tank that day. Richard O'Barry, the trainer, claimed to have been in the tank the day Kathy committed suicide. He asserted that she lost consciousness and ceased breathing. Dolphins must actively manage their breathing, so if one were to simply suffocate, it probably wouldn't have much trouble. NASA attempted to teach a dolphin named Peter to speak English in the 1960s. In an odd turn of events, Peter developed feelings for Margate Howe Lovatt, his trainer with whom he worked out six days a week.

You might have heard about the peculiar intricacies of that tale when it first made headlines a few years ago since the media was so fascinated by the specifics of how sexual the relationship between the human and dolphin became. Aside from that, Lovatt was sacked after the studies came to an abrupt stop. Peter was transferred to a different tank and left on his own. Just like Kathy, he voluntarily stopped breathing as well, dying at the bottom.