Mobile phone users worldwide will soon be able to dial-a-dolphin if a scheme to record their underwater conversations proves a success, according to CNN.

Scientists at a dolphin sanctuary off the west coast of Ireland have teamed up with British mobile telecoms giant Vodafone to transmit the clicking and whistling sounds of bottlenose dolphins, in an effort to a greater understanding of the life of dolphins.

As long as they don't make the dolphins listen to us...

Scientists have actually used text messaging technology with to monitor wildlife before:

- The University of Agricultural Sciences of Stockholm tagged several dozen moose with special cell phones to track their eating habits and movements across the country.

-- Last year, UK's Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust tagged 20'000 geese and tracked them with satellite technology from the breeding grounds of Canada to Ireland, a 3'000 km flight.

-- And from the Scottish waters, seals sent out SMS to scientists. Tiny tags were fitted on their coats to track their movements and their location pinpointed by satellite global positioning system. As the seals approached shorelines and were within mobile phone coverage, data stored was then sent by SMS from the seals to the land.