In this video - , titled " Wild Dolphin “Asks” Divers to Help Free Itself from Hook “, a dolphin with a hook and line stuck in its fin approaches a group of divers, and then quite noticeably waits around one of them while he tries to remove the line and hook from its fin. What’s going on here? I know dolphins are very intelligent, but are they capable of the thought process of " These things may be able to help -> Float around them -> This one is trying to help -> Wait near it while it fiddles with my appendage” ?
Unlikely, but my guess would be: Also not outrightly impossible.
Perhaps this dolphin has had some amicable interactions with humans before, or perhaps witnessed something of the sort once. I’d guess that could, possibly, be good enough for a dolphin to take the hint. Typically, wild dolphins are timid of people.
ETA: I can’t watch video on this machine. What was the outcome? Did the hook outcome?
I also haven’t seen the video. But I’m guessing that we can’t rule out the possibility that, having struggled with the hook and line for some time, the dolphin’s behaviour may be affected by fatigue and/or inury - i.e. if it were feeling a bit perkier it would in fact try to swim away from the diver.
I thought that too before watching the video, but no the dolphin is capable of swimming away. It surfaces for air at one point and then returns.
You should watch the video, most of the interaction happens after the 3:00 minute mark.
No, but the diver that the dolphin hangs around initially had a combo knife/cutting pliers tool that he uses to cut the line. After that the dolphin surfaces to breathe, returns for a short time, a few more attempts are made to remove the hook, but they’re unsuccessful and the dolphin swims away.
Bump
It sounds like they’d gone diving in this area a few times before, and a few other dolphins and manta rays are seen swimming around the divers, so the local sealife seems to have become somewhat accustomed to them.
I imagine that the dolphin had previously tried to get the thing unstuck by rubbing against rock or coral. With the diver being a familiar experience, the dolphin probably treated it’s assistance as a handy bit of rock that miraculously happens to be in just the right position/shape … .
Similarly, during a heat wave in Victoria, Australia in 2009, wild koalas changed their behaviour, driven to approaching humans by their thirst. Like the dolphin in the OP’s example, these animals’ immediate needs outweighed the fear response they would usually undergo. Koalas are reputed never to drink, but this is not true - their diet usually provides the water they require, but during very hot dry weather, they are known to drink water too.
The video is also a great reminder to fishermen to please dispose of line safely. There are also biodegradable options available.