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      • Reintroduction of Alpine Ibex
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Stress in Polar Bears
21/07/2020
Reintroduction of Bearded Vultures
22/07/2020

Sensory Biology in Dolphins



Hello Dolphin, Is it Ticklish?



An important prerequisite for designing proper habitats in the zoo, but also in order to better protect animal species in their natural habitat, is knowing how they experience their environment. Smelling, seeing, tasting, hearing and feeling are the most well-known sensations. But what about the perception of electrical stimuli? Many animal species generate electrical signals, e.g. through breathing or muscle movements. In the search for prey, the detection of electric fields helps. This ability is called electroreception and is known in sharks and rays. So far, among mammal species, this has only been observed in the platypus, two subspecies of echidna and the sotalia dolphin (Sotalia fluviatilis). All of the animals mentioned have similarly designed electroreceptors with which electric fields are detected. Sharks, rays and platypus have ampullary electroreceptors on their bills or on their head.

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Our Contribution



Preliminary tests with a sotalia dolphin have shown that this species can also detect even the smallest electrical fields. Whether bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) also have this ability is currently being investigated at the Nuremberg Zoo. Bottlenose dolphins learned to react to these electric fields in a learning experiment using positive reinforcement. For this purpose, the dolphins first learned to leave the test apparatus used (see picture) upon an acoustic signal. After ascertaining that dolphins not only react to acoustics, but also to visual or tactile signals, further testing was conducted to determine whether they could transfer the learned behaviour to electrical stimuli. All dolphins responded immediately to the new stimuli. This experiment thus proves that bottlenose dolphins have the capacity of electroreception.

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Bottlenose dolphins are kept and bred in the Nuremberg Zoo.


Projekt_grosser_Tuemmler_EEP_Bild_1

© Zsuzsanna Helgeth

Projekt_grosser_Tuemmler_EEP_Bild_2

© Blende AchtWolf

Projekt_grosser_Tuemmler_EEP_Bild_3

© Alwin Pelzer

Projekt_grosser_Tuemmler_EEP_Bild_4

© Christian Langhans


 
More about EEP
 

Scientific Publications



Dehnhardt, G., Miersch, L., Marshall, C. D., von Fersen, L., and Hüttner, T. 2020. Passive Electroreception in Mammals. In B. Fritzsch (Ed.), The Senses: A Comprehensive Approach. Academic Press.

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Marine Science Center (MSC)

More Projects



  • 22/07/2020

    Reintroduction of the Northern Bald Ibis


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Exchange promotes knowledge


    See project
  • 11/09/2020

    Conservation of the Irrawaddy Dolphin in the Mekong River


    See project
  • 21/07/2020

    Stress in Polar Bears


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Sensory Biology in Dolphins


    See project
  • Alpensteinbock_Titel
    18/07/2021

    Reintroduction of Alpine Ibex


    See project
  • 21/07/2020

    Conservation Breeding Programs


    See project
  • 06/02/2021

    Conservation of the Guiana Dolphin in Lake Maracaibo


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Conservation of the La Plata Dolphin


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Reintroduction of the Ural Owl


    See project
  • 21/07/2020

    Translocation of Kulans


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Reintroduction European Ground Squirrel


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Reintroduction European Pond Turtle


    See project
  • 19/10/2020

    Conservation of the Atlantic Humpback Dolphin


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Reintroduction of Bearded Vultures


    See project
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