US scientists studying the clicks, whistles and whines of dolphins talking to each other say the creatures may be calling each other by name. One dolphin can call to another specific dolphin by mimicking the unique sounds of that other dolphin, they said. "These whistles actually turned out to be names," researcher Randall Wells told CNN. "They're abstract names, which is unheard of in the animal kingdom beyond people." Wells, of the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program in Florida, worked with US colleagues and scientists from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in a study of what they call "vocal copying" in dolphins. "Each dolphin produces its own unique signature whistle that describes its individual identity," the researchers said in a University of St. Andrews release. "The new study suggests that in fact dolphins are mimicking those they are close to and want to see again." Dolphins that were familiar with each other for a significant amount of time would mimic the whistle of another in that group when they were separated, the researchers said. "The fact that animals are producing whistle copies when they are separated from a close associate supports the idea that dolphins copy another animal's signature whistle when they want to reunite with that specific individual," St. Andrews researcher Stephanie King said in the release. That ability puts dolphins' communication abilities closer to humans' than any other species, the researchers said.
GMT 15:21 2017 Monday ,16 October
India man-eating tiger dies after being electrocutedGMT 20:20 2017 Sunday ,08 October
White tiger cubs maul keeper to death in IndiaGMT 09:50 2017 Thursday ,05 October
Leopard on the loose in Indian car factoryGMT 18:49 2017 Wednesday ,04 October
Cats kill one million birds a day in AustraliaGMT 20:36 2017 Wednesday ,27 September
Wildlife groups accused of funding abuses against Pygmies in AfricaGMT 17:41 2017 Tuesday ,26 September
Wildlife groups accused of funding abuses against Pygmies in AfricaGMT 10:55 2017 Wednesday ,20 September
Wildlife pays the price of Kenya's illegal grazingGMT 16:45 2017 Thursday ,14 September
Elephants hide by day, forage at night to evade poachers
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor