Biologists interpret the language of sperm whales in Dominica

Whales off the coast of Dominica. Photo credit: Shane Gero

Dalhousie Ph.D. student Shane Gero has recently returned from a seven-week visit to Dominica. He has been traveling to the Caribbean island since 2005 to study families of sperm whales, usually spending two to four months of each year working on the Dominica Sperm Whale Project.

One of the goals of this project is to record and compare whale calls over time, examining the various phrases and dialects of sperm whale communities.

When they dive together, sperm whales make patterns of clicks to each other known as “codas.”

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5 Comments

  1. Unbelievable..
    May 15, 2011

    @Lord! and vip

    Man you DA people got mad issues. Dust that chip off your shoulders already.

  2. Lord!
    May 15, 2011

    i hope the pseudo PM doesn’t take credit for the sperm whales.
    “Oh! its because of him Dominica have sperm whales!”

    • Is so it is
      May 16, 2011

      Lord, You sound like a sick person. You need help

  3. shatta
    May 15, 2011

    8-O

  4. vip
    May 15, 2011

    Interesting project.i wish someone could study the behaviour of sperm men in Dominica.Those men who have forsaken and abandon their children leaving hungry and begging for food clothing shelter and most importantly love. Those who have left their children for grand parents,for other people and the government to raise.Like as though the Government told us to breed children for the state to support. Yes we really need to study SPERM MEN

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