Shutterstock
Dolphins are widely recognized as one of the most playful animals in the world. They regularly swim fast, jump through the air, follow boats, and do other things that are generally seen to be just for fun.
Sadly, they even seem to torture other species just for fun, but that is another story.
Recently, a group was out on a whale watching tour when they saw a pod of dolphins swimming around. One of the dolphins emerged out of the water and then ‘walked’ on the surface by flapping its tail back and forth rapidly.
Many people have likely seen this behavior during dolphin shows in captivity, but it is not something that is often done in the wild.
In the video, which you can see below, you can hear the tour guide explaining that this is not common at all, saying:
“Guys, I can’t express to you how uncommonly rare this behavior is.”
Needless to say, the tour group was delighted.
This happened to be a Northern Right Whale Dolphin, which, despite the name, is not a whale at all and is just a species of dolphin.
Dolphin experts do not know of any reason why dolphins would engage in this activity other than just for fun.
This dolphin has never been in captivity, and neither have any of the other dolphins in the pod, which means that the animal figured out how to do this on its own without ever being trained.
Shutterstock
Animals engaging in things just for fun are often seen as a sign of their intelligence. They are not acting purely on instinct or survival, but instead are out there enjoying life.
Thought that was fascinating? Here’s another story you might like: Why You’ll Never See A Great White Shark In An Aquarium