Sperm whales, the largest of the toothed whales, communicate using bursts of clicking noises — called codas — sounding a bit like Morse code. Like all marine mammals, sperm whales are very social animals, with their calls an integral part of this. We are studying the calls in their behavioral contexts next to understand what sperm whales might be communicating about," said Ms. Sharma. Sperm whales, which can reach about 60 feet (18 metres) long, have the largest brain of any animal. If scientists can decipher the meaning of what the sperm whales are "saying," should people try to communicate with them?

Source: The Hindu May 08, 2024 16:52 UTC