The term whale is used to refer to a group of marine mammals, the cetaceans, within which are the mysticetes (Mysticeti), the so-called baleen whales due to the keratin sheets that allow them to filter their food, and the odontocetes (Odontoceti), the so-called toothed whales. They are the largest animals that exist today, and are characterized by poorly developed smell and vision, so during their evolution they have developed an efficient way of to communicate in the water by means of complex sounds
Thanks to this, they are able not only to communicate on different occasions, but also to orient themselves in the marine environment using these sounds as radar (echolocation), as well as offering them a way to identify objects and to potential dangers. This set of sounds varies throughout the life of the animal, depending on its sex, age and species. If you want to know more, don't miss this article on our site where we will tell you everything about how whales communicate
Communication in whales
One of the most remarkable characteristics of whales is their great capacity for communication. However, the two groups of whales, baleen whales and baleen whales, communicate in different ways.
How do odontocetes communicate?
In odontocetes, song, as we will see later, does not occur as such, since they communicate through whistles or high-frequency sounds These are called clicks, which have different tones, are used during echolocation and allow them to detect objects in their environment.
The clicks are produced when the air passes through the phonics lips, structures equivalent to the nostrils of humans and located on the head of this type of whale. The lips produce vibrations that are transmitted to the head to form sounds, which are then emitted in different directions, which is what is known as echolocation
How do mysticetes communicate?
In the case of mysticetes, they are able to communicate in various ways:
- By jumping: baleen whales can send signals by jumping, a technique that helps them when another group is far away, being able to communicate up to more than 4 km. And it is that if the weather conditions are not favorable, the sounds are more easily dispersed in the water, so thanks to the jumps they produce sounds that expand over longer distances.
- By wingbeats: they also use wingbeats to communicate between members of the same group, as well as if a new individual joins, and are performed at any time by all members regardless of age or gender.
- Through sounds: on the other hand, they produce sounds, being a very complex means of communication for whales, since they They consist of very elaborate and repeated notes that expand in the water until they reach their receiver. This mechanism is called echolocation, and basically it is the production of sound waves that expand in the water until they reach another animal, in this case another whale, in the form of an echo, and it analyzes the message in its brain. Likewise, if the waves meet other objects or animals during their journey, they bounce and expand in different directions, thus not only communicating with other whales, but also recognizing their environment. This mechanism is highly efficient, since having other less developed senses, vision and smell in some species of whales, they are capable of feeling on their skin the vibrations or echoes that reach them from a partner.
The composition of the sounds are not only complex, but also organized, since they are made up of different themes composed of phrases and sub-phrases that are repeatedover time. And if you were wondering what the sound of the whales is called, it is known as the song of the whales. This song evolves and even the same song is learned by other whales from different groups, so according to studies, this represents a practically cultural plasticity in these animals.
How far away do whales communicate?
The sounds that whales make are capable of traveling many miles, but depends on the species Some, like humpback whales (Megaptera novaeanglia e), are capable of producing their songs for hours and with such power that they can be heard out of the water.
In the sea, these sounds can travel thousands of kilometers, and in the case of the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) lower frequency sounds can travel up to more than 3,000 km, and can also generate sounds as loud as up to 190 decibels, making them the loudest that a animal can produce.
The singing of the whales
As we now know, the sounds by which whales communicate are called songs, and it is so named because these sound patterns are repeated over long periods of time, making it appear as if they are singing. Sounds, like other types of communication in other animals, are used to communicate to other different individuals of the same species types of information and at different times, either during mating, if there are potential dangers, during feeding (at this time it is called “feeding call”), to recognize the environment by which they are moving and even communicate their mood. Humpback whales, for example, use it mainly during the reproductive season to find a mate and to see if it is available to mate, both males and females. In addition, it is common for several individuals of the same group to sing the same song during migrations, so it helps them stay united and guide each other.
So why do whales sing? these animals depend on their songs traveling the seas both to keep members of the same group togetherto feed and be able to scroll accuratelyFor this reason, some studies have indicated that noise pollution from the fishing industry is seriously affecting the communication of cetaceans. This has led to the discontinuation of the use of military or scientific sonars in many regions, since they interfere with the communication of these animals and has led to many whale strandings.
It should also be said that the song of the whales, similar to our languages or dialects, is the same in the same group of individuals and from the same geographical area, but totally different in groups from other regions.
