Interesting Animals - Whales and Dolphins
According to studies carried out by University of San Diego graduate student Whitney Musser and Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute senior research scientist Dr. Ann Bowles, killer whales in captivity can learn to speak dolphin, albeit with an accent.
(Scientists already know that killer whales "speak" using a series of clicks, whistles and pulses, and different groups develop their own significantly distinctive "dialects". The Smithsonian reported that in some cases, the difference can be likened to that of the difference between Greek and Roman. In this particular study they found that killer whales began to sound a lot like the bottle nosed dolphins they were socialized with.
Dr. Luke Rendell, a lecturer in biology at the University of St. Andrews said, "It is yet another confirmation that learning is central to how killer whales acquire their vocal repertoire, and further confirms the status of the *cetaceans as one of the few groups of mammals to have evolved true vocal learning".
If this isn't a reason to Free Willy, I don't know what is.)
(Scientists already know that killer whales "speak" using a series of clicks, whistles and pulses, and different groups develop their own significantly distinctive "dialects". The Smithsonian reported that in some cases, the difference can be likened to that of the difference between Greek and Roman. In this particular study they found that killer whales began to sound a lot like the bottle nosed dolphins they were socialized with.
Dr. Luke Rendell, a lecturer in biology at the University of St. Andrews said, "It is yet another confirmation that learning is central to how killer whales acquire their vocal repertoire, and further confirms the status of the *cetaceans as one of the few groups of mammals to have evolved true vocal learning".
If this isn't a reason to Free Willy, I don't know what is.)
*I told you all that you would need this word one day.
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