12 Facts You Don’t Know About Hawaii’s Dolphins

Wild Dolphin Assisted Psychotherapy, or WDAP, is an experiential form of substance abuse therapy that uses wild but gentle dolphins that live in the beautiful azure waters off the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Dolphins are highly intelligent and intuitive in ways we don’t completely understand. Wild dolphin assisted psychotherapy (WDAP) is a relaxing, intriguing means to observe these delightful friends from the sea, and simultaneously, change your view of yourself and the world.

Dolphins seek out humans. They approach us without fear, seemingly understanding that we’re harmless and enjoying the warm waters off the Hawaiian coast – just like the dolphins.

These beautiful serene creatures welcome humans into the undersea world in which they live, welcoming us and enjoying human interaction.

When in the ocean on the Big Island of Hawaii, you’ll feel a spectrum of emotions:awe and wonder, a connection with our friends from the sea, amazement at what these beautiful animals are capable of doing.

Dolphins have an unexplainable affinity with humans. Not only do they like human beings,they’re able to sense problems we may be experiencing.

Dolphins seem to sense internal struggles we may be experiencing.

Dolphins re-entered the oceans thousands of years ago after living on dry land. Scientists have studied dolphin fins and found that they’re formed in the shape of legs and toes.

These air-breathing creatures once breathed air on land before returning to the oceans.

Most live in our oceans, but there are also river dolphins. All interact with humans without fear,as though we’re somehow related to these magnificent animals. And just maybe, we are. 

Dolphins need air, just like we do, but instead of breathing through a nose, dolphins breathe through the blowhole at the top of their heads.

Using a sonar-like system embedded in the dolphin’s brain, these animals send out high-pitched sounds that reflect off of surfaces to “show” dolphins the territory around them.

The dolphin’s blowhole, through which air is inhaled, must be above the water line for the dolphin to breathe. However, when sleeping, only one-half of the dolphin’s brain actually rests. The other half is awake and alert for danger.

They do, but they don’t use their teeth for chewing. Dolphins’ teeth are used to capture fish for dinner, swallowed whole. In fact, dolphins don’t have muscles to enable them to chew.

There are many wall paintings of dolphins in locations around the world – some hundreds of miles from an ocean. It’s clear that throughout our shared histories, dolphins and humans have enjoyed a bond of understanding and respect.

It’s true. Each dolphin develops unique whistles and clicks that travel far beneath the water, identifying just which dolphins are in the area. Each distinct combination of sounds identifies a single dolphin.

Humans breathe without thinking. Inhaling and exhaling are part of the human autonomic system that handles bodily activities without thinking. You breathe without thinking. You blink and swallow without thinking.

For dolphins, they must tell themselves when it’s time to head for the surface to get some air.

Experiential therapies like Wild Dolphin Assisted Psychotherapy are soothing, relaxing and healing. You see the world differently, in all its grace and beauty, when sharing the shoreline with Hawaiian Island dolphins.

Change your perspective as you move toward sobriety using WDAP.Sharing the dolphins’ home provides a serene environment that creates new patterns of thinking.

Hawaii Island Recovery employs WDAP equine therapy, and other experiential therapies to enable our clients to eliminate substance abuse and destructive behaviors from their lives.

Using an individualized approach employing traditional and experiential therapies, our staff of recovery experts improves quality of life by eliminating harmful substances and practices using our ocean-going friends to demonstrate just how wonderful this world really is.