Monday, April 30, 2007
"Chat line" to aid calf of deaf dolphin
From The Miami Herald
KEY LARGO - Any day now, Castaway the dolphin will deliver a calf in an idyllic lagoon birthing pen at the Marine Mammal Conservancy.
For dolphin caretakers, this is uncharted waters: Castaway is deaf. he brainstormed solution? The world's first dolphins' ``chat line.''
The calf will be able to hear and communicate with a pod of 10 other Atlantic bottlenose dolphins located three and a half miles away at Dolphins Plus, a research and interactive education facility.
Highly sophisticated underwater speakers and microphones have been installed at each site. The sounds are captured and processed using special software that allows high-speed data transmission through a telephone line.
Like humans, experts believe, dolphins need to be taught language. Castaway does not make many sounds, and when she does it is monotone -- much like a deaf person's voice, Lingenfelser said.
http://tallahassee.com/legacy/special/blogs/2007/04/chat-line-to-aid-calf-of-deaf-dolphin.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,264884,00.html
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1 comment:
They ought make a plan B when the baby dolphin is found to be deaf as well ;-)
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