Again I'd be guessing but I reckon that Zhao thinks that because of their intelligence level.
yes. also beause of how playful and friendly they are to humans. i used to see them playing off the coast of Malibu all the time, flipping in and out of the waves. and many friends have swam out and wild dolphins are almost always thrilled and delighted to have a human swimming with them (other times they just swim by). they would do laps around, jump over them, and nudge them playfully with their noses. I mean all together they are just such beautiful and delightful creatures, naturally of a good dispostion (rather than trained to be obedient).
how many large animals which can easily kill us and eat us treat us with this level of respect? and welcome us to participate in their games? always, without exception.
there has never been any case of dolphins attacking humans -- the few angry people on the internet who sustained minor injuries from playing with dolphins are always cases of dolphins playing too rough with them; and even in the case of those 2 brazillians provoking the dolphins and annoying them, all they did was head-butt them, never bite with their razor sharp teeth.
and of course all the stories of them helping humans in emergency situations.
fuck off if anyone is so lost in their stupid blind cynicism that they think this is just a lot of "new age bollocks"