Alfred C. Chen's Weblog

If you have seen a Dolphin show at SeaWorld or similar venues, you would recognize that Dolphins have tremendous acrobatic skills.  Apparently, some of these acrobatic skills are not enhanced version of the natural behaviors exhibited by Dolphins in the wild.  I recently read in the news (Australia's Daily Telegraph, BBC Science/Nature) that tail-walking is one such skill that is learned (from human trainers?) by Dolphins in captivity. 

Why am I surprised, and why am I blogging about this topic you ask?  Well, I recently wrote a blog about my encounter with Dolphins in the Monterey Bay.  In the pictures that I shared in my previous blog, you will see that Dolphins are playful and acrobatic animals.  Their natural showmanship skills is especially elevated by their curiosity around humans.  In one the pictures (on this blog), I believe I happen to captured a wild Dolphin doing the tail-walking.  Perhaps this isn't a coincidence. 

Due to more human and Dolphin interactions in the wild, I believe Dolphin's behaviors are evolving.  Dolphins are intelligent animals.  I believe they are trying to learn from us, just as we try to learn more about them.  If we humans (e.g. Michael Phelps) can learn and use the Dolphin kick to our advantage, why can't Dolphins learn to walk?  I agree it's not obvious (the benefits) what they gain by tail-walking, except more fanfare.  Nonetheless, we will soon see more Dolphins tail-walking in their natural habitat, one that they are having to share more and more with their two legged friends.

If you have observed similar behaviors, please feel free to share your experience in the comments field below.

I bet you didn't know that Dolphins live in the Monterey Bay.  Actually, it's quite common to spot Dolphins, Whales and other marine mammals, if you spend enough time on the Bay or if you go on a Whale watching tour boat.  What made our recent Dolphin encounter so special is that we weren't seeking them out.  We were visiting Monterey for the day. We stopped by the Breakwater to admire the SCUBA divers, as we have done on every Monterey trip since we stopped diving.  Amazingly, this is the first time that I have spotted Dolphins so close to the shore, only about 150 feet away.  They hung around for a while, and provided lots of entertainment for the Kayakers, the people on the beach and the tourists on the glass bottom boat (typically not a great way to spot wildlife, just divers).  It was a very unexpected and unforgettable experience.

Press Play to start the slide show.

Over the July 4th weekend, my wife and I went for a short hike at Rancho San Antonio, an open space preserve that borders Los Altos, Cupertino and I-280.  Rancho is one of my favorite outdoor playgrounds, since it's conveniently located in the heart of Silicon Valley.  It's where I first discovered trail running and where I trained (PG&E Trail) for my hike up to Half Dome at Yosemite.  It's also where I return year after year to find a new generation of lambs, goats and piglets at the Deer Hollow Farm.

I have also had my share of wildlife encounters at Rancho San Antonio:  Bobcats, Rattlesnakes, Blacktail Deers, Wild Turkeys, Quails, Rabbits, Owls, Acorn Woodpeckers, etc.  Each time, I always said to myself "If only I had brought my camera."  Well, I finally brought my camera this past weekend, and I was not disappointed.  I'm sharing my pictures in this Blog (Press Play on Slideshow below), out of complete respect for the wildlife and their home.  In shooting these photos, I kept my distance, tried to blend in with nature, and captured the close-ups through a zoom lense.

In a world of global warming and diminishing natural habitats, I think it's great that open space preserves such as Rancho San Antonio is able to sustain an ecosystem that is thriving despite being in the shadows of encroaching home developments, congested freeways and high-tech business parks.  As a parent, I often wonder if such wonderful places will still exist when my daughter is old enough to appreciate it.  As a nature lover, I'm quite hopeful (based on my observations) that I will find a new generation of thriving wildlife at Rancho this time next year, the following year, and for the foreseeable future.

BTW in case you are wondering, I have not had a Mountain Lion encounter.  They are elusive, solitary animals that hunt mostly during the wee hours when the parks are closed.  By chance if I'm lucky enough to spot one, I will be sure to Blog about the experience.  Stay tuned!