Stories about dolphins saving people do indeed exist and are documented, but there is still no definitive scientific explanation for this phenomenon. Scientists propose several versions, which can be divided into two groups: some believe it is an expression of instinct, while others consider it the result of high intelligence and emotional perception.

First version: instincts and reflexes

This group of theories explains the behavior of dolphins by innate programs rather than a conscious decision to help.

• Instinct to care for offspring. Dolphins are mammals, and females often push newborn calves to the surface to take their first breath. This pushing reflex could have solidified over time as a universal reaction to any large object that needs to be lifted from the bottom. This is how dolphins sometimes save their sick companions and even other animals.
• Play and curiosity. Dolphins are very playful. They may perceive a swimming person or boat as an interesting object for play and simply push it like a toy. In some cases, this can accidentally lead a person to the shore, but it can also end up with a dolphin pushing them into open water.
• Protection of territory. There are cases when dolphins drive sharks away from people, forming a dense circle around them. However, this may not be due to sympathy for humans, but rather because sharks are perceived as competitors or threats to dolphins themselves, especially their offspring.

Second version: intelligence and emotions

Another group of researchers believes that it is not worth explaining everything solely through reflexes, as the dolphin brain is very complex.

• Empathy and recognition of emotions. Scientists note that dolphins are capable of recognizing emotions such as fear or panic and can experience something like empathy towards a creature in distress.
• Conscious help. Some experts insist that dolphins can understand that a person needs help and make a decision to act purposefully.

Important nuance: it's not always a rescue

It is worth remembering that the behavior of dolphins is not always predictable and not always friendly. They are wild animals, and their actions can be dangerous.

• Aggression and risks. There have been cases of aggressive behavior, including sexual harassment of humans and causing injuries. A pod of dolphins may play with a person like a ball, leading to serious injuries.
• Lack of guarantees. Scientists emphasize that cases of rescue are not the rule but the exception. Do not expect a wild dolphin to jump to save you in a critical situation. Moreover, wild dolphins usually avoid humans, and their friendliness is more often associated with tamed individuals that have been specially trained for interaction.

Recorded cases of rescue

Documented cases of dolphins saving people do indeed exist, and some of them have received widespread publicity.

Rescue of Elian Gonzalez (Cuba - USA, 1999)

Five-year-old Elian Gonzalez became known worldwide not only for the immigration scandal but also for the story of his rescue. The boy was floating from Cuba to the USA on a homemade raft made of cans and tubes, which capsized. His mother and stepfather died, and Elian was left in the open sea, holding on to a can. According to his own memories, a pod of dolphins helped him stay afloat, pushing him. The fishermen who found him said that it was the dolphins that drew their attention to the boy in the open ocean, 60 miles from the shore.

Rescue of swimmers from a great white shark (New Zealand, 2004)

This is perhaps the most documented and frequently cited case. Four water safety instructors, including a 15-year-old daughter of one of them, were training at Ocean Beach. Suddenly, a pod of dolphins surrounded them and began to drive them into a tight group, encircling them in tight circles. One of the swimmers, Rob Hughes, tried to swim away, but a large dolphin turned him back. Only then did he see a 3-meter white shark heading straight for them. The dolphins kept a protective circle around the people for 40 minutes until the shark lost interest and swam away.

Rescue of Martin Richardson after a shark attack (Egypt, 2023)

British tourist Martin Richardson was swimming in the Red Sea when he was attacked by a mako shark. It bit him five times, and he lost about 2.8 liters of blood. The man had already given up and was waiting to die when a pod of dolphins appeared and the shark suddenly stopped attacking and disappeared. Richardson is convinced that it was the dolphins that saved his life, giving him time to wait for a boat. He received over 300 stitches.

Rescue after shipwreck (Mozambique, 1972)

Ivonne Vladislavich, a 23-year-old South African, swam 25 miles to the shore after her boat capsized. A half-dozen sharks followed her. At a critical moment, two dolphins appeared nearby and began to protect her from the sharks and help her stay afloat as her strength was waning. They accompanied her to the buoy where she was able to climb in and survive.

Rescue of surfer Todd Anderson (USA, California, 2007)

Todd Anderson was attacked by a great white shark, which tore the skin from his back and clung to his leg. A pod of dolphin orcas came to his aid, forming a protective circle around him, allowing him to reach the shore and receive medical attention.

Other mentions

Documentary and scientific sources also mention cases when dolphins helped people push rafts to the shore after plane crashes, as well as stories of how dolphins drove sharks away from humans after a ship explosion in the Caribbean Sea.

Conclusion

Dolphins are amazing and complex creatures. Their rescue of humans is more of a side effect of their instincts, maternal, playful, and protective, which in rare cases coincide with our ideas of help. It is not conscious philanthropy, but nor is it a coincidence in the full sense of the word. What unites the recorded cases is one thing: dolphins act coordinately and purposefully, which does not look like a coincidence. However, as scientists note, the motivation of dolphins is still a subject of discussion — they may protect their offspring or react to blood, rather than consciously saving a human.

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