Margaret Howe Lovatt had loved animals since she was a little girl.

One of her first memories is being given a book about a talking cat by her mother when she was just a child.

It sparked a life-long fascination with animals and how they communicate and led to her becoming a key part of a NASA funded experiment in the 1960s.

Margaret explained: "It was a story about a cat who could talk and understand humans and it just stuck with me that maybe there is this possibility."

Unlike most children, Margaret didn't grow out of dreaming about one day communicating with animals.

(Image: Youtube / BBC)

Her dreams came true at Christmas in 1963, when she was living in the Caribbean island of St Thomas.

Margaret's brother-in-law mentioned there was a secret lab at one end of the island where they were carrying out work with dolphins.

Unable to resist, Margaret, who was just 20, had to drive out there to have a look - and she was greeted by Gregory Bateson.

He was the director of the lab and was instantly impressed by the young woman who had marched up to him and told him she wanted to be involved and would do anything she could to help.

He allowed Margaret to observe the dolphins and write down everything she observed - despite having no scientific training she was skilled at spotting animal behaviour and her place in the study was secured.

(Image: Youtube / BBC)

Margaret remembers vividly what she saw the first time she observed the three dolpins.

She explained: "Peter, Pamela and Sissy. Sissy was the biggest. Pushy, loud, she sort of ran the show.

"Pamela was very shy and fearful. And Peter was a young guy. He was sexually coming of age and a bit naughty."

When Margaret first met the trio of dolphins they were housed in a sea pool below the lab, where they could be observed daily.

Funded by NASA, the scheme was to determine whether or not the dolphins could be trained to understand, and speak, English.

(Image: Youtube / BBC)

But scientists were determined to get a closer look at the creatures and came up with a bizarre plan to watch them in every day life.

They, along with Margaret's help, transformed an ordinary home into a domestic dolphianrium by flooding it with knee-deep water.

This meant those working on the project could live with the animals and observe them 24 hours a day.

And as Margaret spent more times with the majestic creatures, she formed ever closer bonds with them - especially Peter.

She explained: "Peter liked to be... with me. He would rub himself on my knee, my foot or my hand and I allowed that.

(Image: Youtube / BBC)

"I wasn't uncomfortable - as long as it wasn't too rough. In the beginning I would put him on the elevator and say you go play with the girls for a day.

"It was just easier to incorporate that and let it happen, it was very precious and very gentle, Peter was right there, he knew that I was right there."

Margaret claims this became a regular part of her studies, as she tried to teach Peter to speak English.

She added: "It was sexual on his part - it was not sexual on mine, sensuous perhaps.

"It would just become part of what was going on like an itch, just get rid of that we'll scratch and we would be done and move on.

(Image: Youtube / BBC)

"I was there to get to know Peter, that was part of Peter."

The lab had been created by American neuroscientist, Dr John Lilly, who had been studying large-brained marine mammals for years.

He hoped his experiment on the Caribbean island would enable the dolphins to make human-like sounds through their blow holes and enable them to communicate with humans.

Dr Lilly secured NASA's financial backing as he felt it would enable the understanding of other intelligent life forms who use a different form of communication.

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However, what had started as an innocent experience became embroiled in scandal by the time it closed down.

Not only was there Margaret's relationship with Peter, there were also rumours the dolphins had been absued when they were given LSD.