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

World

Researchers listening off the Caribbean island of Dominica found variations in the mammals’ audible clicks when marine traffic was close

Sperm whales produce a specific pattern of clicking noises when they hear the noise of boats, researchers have found. The pattern is so distinct that the scientists who identified it said they can now use it to predict when ships are nearby.

Researchers from Project Ceti (the Cetacean Translation Initiative), a non-profit research organisation working to decode sperm whale communication, spent four years tuning in on the calls of 15 sperm whales off the coast of Dominica.

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Source: The Guardian World — This article was automatically imported from the source. Read full article at original source →

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Originally published by The Guardian World theguardian.com
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