Sperm whales make patterns of clicks to each other known as 'codas' when they dive together.
A new study reveals that not only do different codas mean different things, but whales can also tell which member of their community is speaking based on the sound properties of the codas.
That’s right, just as we can tell our friends apart by the sounds of their voices and the way they pronounce their words, different sperm whales make the same pattern of clicks, but with different accents.
Caribbean and Pacific whales have different repertoires of codas, like a regional dialect, but the "Five Regular" call—a pattern of five evenly spaced clicks— is thought to have the universal function of individual identity because it is used by sperm whales worldwide.
Gero and Hal Whitehead explain that the sperm whale’s biggest threat is human pollution. Not only do humans introduce toxins into the ocean, but they also generate harmful sound pollution. Increased shipping traffic, underwater explosions caused by searching for oil, and military sonar all contribute to ocean noise that masks communication between whales.
"No one wants to live in a rock concert," said Gero, adding that noise pollution is especially troublesome in the ocean because "it is a totally different sensory world." The sperm whales can dive to depths of over 1000 metres and depend on sound for communication and navigation in the pitch black of the deep water.
The Dominica Sperm Whale Project hopes to understand more about sperm whale society because, as Gero says, "it is infuriating that we know more about the moon than the oceans."
He hopes to communicate a better understanding of life in the oceans to people by using these beautiful whales as examples, and by placing an emphasis on "how similar their lives actually are to ours."
The study was recently published in the journal Animal Behaviour.
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