Sperm whales change ‘vowel’ sounds when boats are nearby, scientists discover

Scientists from Project Ceti have discovered that sperm whales alter their 'coda' click patterns when marine traffic is nearby. This finding suggests that whales may be communicating differently in response to human-made noise, potentially impacting future marine conservation policy.
Three sperm whales. In the latest research, in addition to the changing tempo of codas, the team identified differences in the prevalence of two vowel-like sounds in noisy conditions. Photograph: Project Ceti Three sperm whales. In the latest research, in addition to the changing tempo of codas, the team identified differences in the prevalence of two vowel-like sounds in noisy conditions. Photograph: Project Ceti Seascape: the state of our oceans Cetaceans Sperm whales change ‘vowel’ sounds when boats are nearby, scientists discover Researchers listening off the Caribbean island of Dominica found variations in the mammals’ audible clicks when marine traffic was close
Get the full story
Sign up for Headlinne to unlock AI insights, political bias analysis, and your personalized news feed.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in