DOLPHIN  EARS

Dolphins communicate with each other underwater at  distances of several kilometers.    (Provided of course they're not deaf.)

Like in humans, the inner ear cavity is a Dolphin's balance system.
(If we didn't have this system we would become giddy and fall over.)

The Inner ear balance system in humans is so acute that it creates sea sickness when on a rolling ship or during similar un-natural movements. This is because the inner ear cavity contains a special fluid that remains always horizontal due to gravity. When we move our head one way or another this fluid touches or untouches the sides of the cavity which is covered with finely tuned nerve endings that send a signal to our brains telling us that our head is not upright. Our brain then sends a return signal, (rather like using a modem), which tells the nerve ends and all other interested parts of our anatomy, that eveything is ok because the tilt of the head was planned and under control. 
This completion of the outgoing and incomming message which originated from the inner ear,(Which by the way is about 50 million times faster than any modem on the planet!), has the effect of tranquilizing the system which then clears itself and sends the next signal to the brain. These natural modem signals are happening billions of times whilst you are reading this page.

When on a rolling ship these same signals from the inner ear to the brain get a different feed-back signal from the brain which says something like "Shit!  I  have no control over this, we don't know whats happening and we didn't order these movements, so I'm releasing some adrenalin into the system and every nerve is sent to a kind of  Red alert!" The "Red alert" confuses the system and the inner ear balance becomes more acutely fine tuned and thats the moment when a lot of people get Sea Sick.

As a seaman I can confirm that one of the best remedies for seasickness is to concentrate on the horizon, because when the brain is able to see and concentrate on something naturally stable it is able to understand whats happening and why the incomming signals from the inner ear are so erratic.  Once the "Red Alert" changes to a Yellow Alert, the body calms down and less adrenalin is pumped into the system, there is less confusion and most people will then be able to control the sea sickness feelings they have.

Dolphins have an greatly enlarged inner ear cavity due to the diverse movements they are capable of.  The major difference in relation to humans is the up and down movement.  Humans don't have this, we are always connected to the ground. (Except when up in airplanes when some of us get air sick.)

Dolphins have a pretty hard time to see the horizon except when travelling and therefore jumping, both to breath and to fix the horizon.
At other times though, dolphins use their Sonar to "Feel" the bottom and the surface when underwater. 
The Dolphin Sonar is used in conjunction with their ears to catch food. 
For example;  Small fishes are much more manouverable than a Dolphin, yet the Dolphin seems to catch the fish at ease and if you watch closely it will almost appear that the fish has been hypnotized. 
What happens is really quite simple;  The dolphin sends out a special frequency sonar signal that is aimed directly at the fish. When this sonar hits the fish the fish tends to vibrate deep inside, these vibrations are slight but enough to confuse the fish and thats when the Dolpin gets his Brunch.

Depending on the type of sound, ie, the frequency, underwater sound will travel 3 times farther and between 600 and 900 times faster than sound in air.
Therefore underwater, a blast from an explosion arrives at the ear in a much more "cutting" way and at a speed and frequency that literally lacerates the ear drum.
In the case of Dolphins, any damage whatsoever to the ear is a disaster.
A Dolphin with damaged ears can no longer adventure away from the group it lives with because it would not hear their calls, it must then depend more it's sense of sight to keep in touch with the group.
Dolphin eyesight is not as good as yours or mine and sooner or later will lose touch with the group, become lost and alone. 

A lost Dolphin, alone, finding difficulty in catching fish, will lose the will to live.

I ain't goin back under Bro!... I ain't got non o' that Sonar stuff. So I'm trying this new Turtle technology. It's much safer!  Click me and I'll show Our problems!

Hey! Where are you going?

Home Page

Parent directory

Arabone Associates; arabone@hotmail.com