It’s Charismatic Megafauna Day here at AnimalWise!

As regular readers know, this blog is dedicated to animals of all stripes (and spots). Animal intelligence isn’t limited to the mammals; animal value does not require fur; animal awesomeness can arrive without an endoskeleton; and sometimes animal insight wears feathers. Rest assured that future posts will continue to introduce remarkable capabilities and amazing behaviors in all sorts of creatures, some well-known and considered attractive, others less familiar perhaps a bit frightening looking.

CMF Day, though, is an opportunity for us to shamelessly seek attention by featuring leading celebrities of the animal world. On CMF Day, pandas and elephants and whales reign supreme. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

I can't help smiling

So, on this inaugural Charismatic Megafauna Day, the spotlight is on the playful bottlenose dolphin. As the video below observes, dolphins are one of the very few species that continues to play into adulthood, and play can be an indication of an inventive brain and a restless mind. Play may also strengthen social bonds. Mostly, however, it’s just fun.

Surf’s up!