Polyglot Trains With Experts to Learn How to Communicate With Dolphins

Xiaomanyc, a practicing polyglot who previously taught himself how to communicate with bonobo apes, studied with expert Dr. Kelly Jaakkola at the Dolphin Research Center in the Florida Keys to learn how to speak the language of dolphins.

I spent weeks training with some of the world's top dolphin researchers to learn to speak like a dolphin in order to see if this pod of actual dolphins would accept me as one of their own.

He subsequently tested out his newfound skills with individual members of a pod and found that the dolphins responded to his whistles and calls quite positively. Trainer Sarah Ivkovich told him that projects like this are all part of the dolphin enrichment program, as they are very clever animals.

Our job as a trainer is to make sure that they are always having fun both mentally and physically stimulated.