They have long been known to be bright, friendly and intelligent creatures.
Now it seems they might also be lifesavers, because for the first time dolphins have been spotted teaming up to try to rescue an injured group member.
The amazing footage, filmed at Kyum Park of the Cetacean Research Institute in Ulsan, South Korea, shows 12 dolphins swimming very close together when one of their number gets into difficulty.
The female long beeked common dolphin wriggles and tips from side to side, turning upside-down while her pectoral flippers seem to be paralyzed.
Instantly the other dolphins crowd around her, diving beneath as they try to keep her afloat.
Half an hour later and the dolphins have formed into a raft by swimming side by side with the injured female on their backs as they try to stop her from drowning.
Sadly, after another few minutes some of the helper dolphins left, and the injured female soon dropped into a vertical position.
Despite the best efforts of the remaining helpers, who appear to try and prop her up, keeping her head above the surface, she soon stopped breathing.
According to the researchers who filmed the pod of dolphins, five of the creatures stayed with it and continued touching its body, until it sank out of sight.
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TXT 24
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