DOLPHINS are among the most intelligent creatures on the planet and some believe there is much we humans can learn from them.

A dolphin brain is equal in weight to that of a typical human and there is evidence that may indicate an ability to communicate with a language of clicks and whistles. Some claim they have even developed a sense of humour.

In addition, dolphins have a built-in sonar system, far superior to anything man-made, that can detect the size, shape and texture of objects.

Records going back centuries show that mankind has a deep respect for these marine mammals and a long history of interaction with them.

In 62 AD, the Greek moralist Plutarch wrote: "To the dolphin alone, beyond all other, nature has granted what the best philosphers seek: friendship for no advantage."

In Bermuda, people and dolphins continue to mingle at Dolphin Quest in Dockyard, where eight dolphins - soon to be nine - live and work.

THERE can be few animals in Bermuda lavished with as much day-to-day care and attention as the dolphins of Dolphin Quest.

And if breeding is a measure of their health and happiness, then the signs are good. Since Dolphin Quest set up on the island in 1996, two dolphins - Somers and Malibar - have been born and with 13-year-old Bailey pregnant, a third is on the way and due to be born in May.

Roma Hayward, Dolphin Quest's supervisor of marine animals, said it was difficult to know whether the captive dolphins were 'happy' as happiness was a human concept. But she felt sure their spirits were high.

Ms Hayward said: "The number one way to see if they are healthy in their environment is if they are reproducing. So the fact that Bailey is going to have another calf is good.

"All day, they are swimming to the docks clicking and whistling. Animals with issues tend to have no motivation to do anything and hang around on their own. Also with animals you can tell a lot by their body condition - and these guys are plump and healthy."

Ms Hayward is one of 23 Dolphin Quest staff, including ten trainers, who look after the dolphins and their home, a large pool in the grounds of the Bermuda Maritime Museum.

Surrounded by the venerable buildings of the former Royal Naval Dockyard, it provides the dolphins with peaceful surroundings.

General manager Christine Mihelcic said: "The first Dolphin Quest started in Hawaii in 1988 and Bermuda was the third, starting up in 1996 at the Southampton Princess.

"When we came to Dockyard, it was only supposed to be on a temporary basis. We only recently decided to stay. It's a natural environment and it's very enriching for the animals."

According to international standards for keeping dolphins in captivity, Dolphin Quest has room for 12 dolphins at Dockyard. And there are plans to extend and improve the habitat for their eight animals by fencing off a 2.6-acre area of the sea off the museum. There is no doubt that the trainers are a dedicated crew who do everything they can to enrich the dolphins' lives and to monitor their health.

Ms Hayward said a typical day would start with food preparation for the dolphins - no small task when each animal consumes 30 pounds of fish per day.

"They eat herring, capelin and squid, all of restaurant standard," said Ms Hayward. "If we wouldn't have it on our plate, then they are not given it.

"We cut up some of it and leave some of it whole to give them some variety.

"Then we have what we call a husbandry session every day. We look over the dolphins to see if there is anything of concern. We take blood samples and respiratory tests and gastric samples regularly. And we have a baseline for each animal - for example, what's normal for Caliban might be different for Bailey - and that way we can see straight away if anything unusual is going on."

Thousands of visitors come to Dolphin Quest each year and though Ms Mihelcic conceded that winter was a quiet time, she said there was still plenty going on.

She said the average number of visitors per day right now ranged between ten and 30, while during the peak visiting period of June through August, there were often 120 people coming through the gates in a day.

"We have a wide range of programmes for people, both in-water and out-of-water for those who'd rather stand on the dockside and watch the dolphins," said the general manager.

"This time of year is a good time to come and get in with the dolphins, especially as there is a lower participation level. You may find yourself with a smaller group and to have the chance to enjoy a more personal experience as you get close up to these amazing marine mammals.

"Clearly there is maintenance for us to do at this time as well. Our customer service area is being revamped and we're putting new tiling in the changing rooms."

Dolphin Quest has recognised an educational role for itself and has now brought in an education co-ordinator, Robyn Bungay, to work with schools and to devise programmes for children.

Two months ago, a Bermuda High School for Girls physics class visited Dolphin Quest with their teacher Lucy Peters, after they had studied a unit on the science of sound waves.

Ultrasonographic equipment is used by Dolphin Quest to monitor its animals. Not only does it allow trainers to see the development of the foetus inside Bailey, but it also allows them a look at the internal organs.

The demonstrations draw quite a response from the students, said Ms Bungay. "We get lots of oh's," she said. "They can't believe they are watching the inner anatomy of a dolphin. It puts into perspective what they are learning at school."

Testing the dolphins is easier than one might imagine, as all of them have been trained to lie still at the dock's edge and appear to enjoy having the smooth ultrasound wand rubbed over their skin.

Last month, two groups from Saltus also visited Dolphin Quest and now a complete educational programme for primary school children of all ages has been devised.

"We are excited that teachers want to utilise Dolphin Quest as a supplement to their classroom curriculum," said Ms Mihelcic. "Our goal is to serve as a resource for the schools in Bermuda."

The intelligence of dolphins has long been recognised as an extraordinary phenomenon in the animal world. They have shown a remarkable capacity to learn in experiments.

Ms Hayward said the animals at Dolphin Quest were no exception.

"These guys are smart," she said. "They learn very fast when we are asking them to do something new.

"They can tell us apart from each other, they know us and sometimes they treat us in different ways. If there's someone new, they'll treat them as a subsititute teacher and challenge them in terms of what they know."

Many of the tricks the dolphins perform for the amusement of humans are things they could be seen doing out of captivity, said Ms Mihelcic.

"A lot of these behaviours are natural in the wild, like vertical spins," said Ms Mihelcic, "but here they have learned to do them to hand signals."

The educational value of a visit to Dolphin Quest applies to adults as well as children.

"Ms Hayward said: "We want people to realise that dolphins are not all like Flipper. These are 500-pound mammals.

"We want people to go away knowing the difference between males and females, how they breathe and their lifestyle as marine mammals, how their tails move and they get their speed. These dolphins can swim at about 20 miles per hour. And when people swim with them we want them to hear the dolphins' sounds."

Barbara Tufty once wrote about dolphins: "They exhibit a friendly willingness to co-operate with other earth creatures - a rare attribute which another animal, Homo sapiens, has not yet learned to do with any consistency."

Their friendliness to our species and their gentleness makes them ideal for interacting with the vulnerable and disabled.

DOLPHIN Quest has a special programme in conjunction with the Make A Wish Foundation. This allows disabled people who are capable of participation to swim with the dolphins under careful supervision. And those who are unable to go in can meet the animals when they swim up to the dock.

Ms Hayward said she found working with dolphins a great deal of fun.

"It's enjoyable for me when you see them excited and you hear them whistling and clicking," she said.

"It's also enjoyable when you see the looks on people's faces, especially those who have never been that close to a marine mammal before. Some of them are overwhelmed by the whole experience."

Ms Mihelcic stressed that Dolphin Quest should be considered as much more than just a facility for tourists and said locals could get involved both as visitors and as volunteers.

"We do internships which involve students coming here as a trainer for six weeks," she said. "We've been lucky enough to have several Bermudian students. One of them has been coming here since since she was 13 and we have high hopes that she will become more involved.

"Bermuda's in the middle of the Atlantic, so who could be better to work with dolphins and learn about conservation of marine life than Bermudians?"

Dolphin Quest is also working on a volunteer baby watch programme to keep an eye on Bailey as her 11-month gestation period comes to an end in May, when she is expected to give birth to her third calf.

Dolphin Quest's winter programme runs through to the end of March and includes:

Dolphin Dip - a half-hour swim with the dolphins for $125.

Ultimate Adventure - a one-hour programme during which you ride on a water scooter alongside the dolphins, costing $265.

Fins and Flippers - half an hour getting to know the dolphins from a floating dock, including five minutes on a submerged dock, costing $75.

Training Time - ten minutes on the dockside watching the dolphins show off their skills, $35.

Chit Chat - 15 minutes with an animal behaviourist, learning about dolphin facts and fiction, on Thursdays at 11.30 a.m., free, no booking necessary.

Dolphin Dreams Storytime - geared to families with children under six, a member of staff reads a story in the Dolphin Quest education room, free, on Sundays at 11.30 a.m., no booking necessary.

Dolphin Quest can be contacted on 234-4464.