When a dolphin surfaces next to a boat with a jagged scar from a shark bite and swims away like nothing happened, a natural question comes up. Do dolphins actually feel pain? The answer is more interesting than a simple yes or no. Dolphins have pain receptors, respond to harmful stimuli, and show clear distress in certain situations. But their biology has also evolved some of the most sophisticated natural pain-management systems in the animal kingdom. Here is what the science says.