All articles tagged with #sperm whales
UC Berkeley researchers studied 15 sperm whales over four years, attaching underwater microphones and analyzing codas; they found two frequency-based, vowel-like click types (a and i) that can form diphthongs, with different pods using distinct frequencies—suggesting regional accents and a highly complex system similar in pattern to human speech, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
New research analyzing 2014–2018 recordings of Caribbean sperm whales finds signs of a highly complex phonetic system in their calls, including vowel-like patterns and diphthongs. Using GANs within Project CETI, scientists identify vowels differentiated by inter-click intervals and suggest these whales may have a developing vocabulary, with a goal to interpret around 20 expressions (e.g., diving, sleeping) by 2031.
Sperm whales’ codas show vowel-like differences and tonal patterns arranged in multi-layered structures that closely resemble human phonology, suggesting parallel evolution of language-like signals. The findings from Project CETI and UC Berkeley researchers, published in Proceedings B, push forward the goal of understanding whale speech and eventually enabling interspecies communication, though significant work and funding remain.
New analysis of 3,948 sperm whale codas from 15 individuals finds two formant-based coda types (a-codas and i-codas) with timing and contextual rules resembling human phonology, indicating a highly structured communication system that stops short of being language. Project CETI frames this as a major step toward decoding whale speech and understanding language evolution.
Drones recorded three headbutting incidents among sub-adult sperm whales off Spain and Portugal (Azores and Balearic Islands) between 2020–2022, marking the first video evidence of this behavior and challenging the idea that only adult males headbutt. The footage suggests rough play or social dynamics as young whales leave matriarchal groups, and researchers note that headbutting is unlikely to injure them. The study, published in Marine Mammal Science on March 23, 2026, highlights drone observations as a powerful tool in marine research and partly connects to sailors’ lore about whales sinking ships.
Researchers filming off Dominica captured a rare birth of a sperm whale in which surrounding females—related and unrelated—cooperated to support the laboring mother and calf, a first documented instance of birth assistance in non-primates, with vocal changes suggesting coordinated care.
Scientists documented one of the most detailed wild observations of a sperm whale birth, revealing cooperative female behavior as they protect the newborn calf and help it reach water safety, with observations tied to Project CETI.
Field observers off Dominica in July 2023 captured an 11-whale group from two matrilines coordinating a calf’s birth and postnatal care, with a core quartet lifting and maintaining the newborn at the surface for breathing while the wider group stayed cohesive; the study, aided by machine learning and computer vision to track individuals, provides rare quantitative evidence of allocare and complex sociality in sperm whales and was published in Science Advances.
Researchers captured the first documented on-camera headbutts between sperm whales, observed in the Azores and Balearic Islands, showing that young whales initiate the behavior; the study, published in Marine Mammal Science, seeks to understand its function and invites others with footage to share.
University of St Andrews researchers used drones to document headbutting among sub-adult sperm whales in the Azores and Balearic Islands, overturning the idea that this behavior is limited to large adult males. The study, published in Marine Mammal Science, notes questions about why the behavior occurs and how it affects group dynamics, and highlights drones as a powerful tool for observing near-surface whale actions, echoing historic anecdotes of whales ramming ships.
The article explores 32 of the loudest animals on Earth, ranging from the blue whale, which can emit calls up to 188 decibels, to the tiny African cicada, whose mating call reaches 107 decibels. It highlights the diverse ways these animals use their loud calls for communication, mating, and hunting, and includes fascinating details about each species' unique vocalizations and behaviors.
Tourists in Australia witnessed a rare and intense battle between orcas and sperm whales during a whale watching expedition. The orcas chased and attacked the sperm whales, leading to a dramatic and unexpected encounter. However, further analysis revealed that the sperm whales used a defensive tactic of releasing feces to deter the orcas, ultimately thwarting the attack. The event provided a unique and privileged insight into the behavior of these oceanic giants off the southwestern coast of Australia.
Tourists in Australia witnessed a rare and intense battle between orcas and sperm whales during a whale watching expedition. The orcas chased and attacked the sperm whales, leading to a dramatic and unusual encounter. However, further analysis revealed that the sperm whales used a defensive tactic of releasing feces to deter the orcas, and the orcas likely obtained squid rather than whale meat. The event provided a unique glimpse into the behavior of these "titans of the ocean" and highlighted the wild nature of the marine environment off the southwestern coast of Australia.
Sperm whales off the southern coast of Western Australia were observed using a unique defense tactic against hunting orcas by releasing a large cloud of watery, squid-filled feces, which is known as emergency or defensive defection. This tactic, believed to deter predators, was mistaken for blood at first due to the whales' squid-rich diet. While it may have been partially successful, the orcas were later seen with what appeared to be stolen chunks of giant squid, indicating that the defense mechanism may not have completely thwarted the hunting party.
A group of sperm whales in Western Australia's Bremer Canyon defended themselves against a pod of at least 30 killer whales by forming a defensive rosette and unleashing a 'poonado' of diarrhoea, which successfully deterred the orcas. Marine biologists witnessed the extraordinary defense strategy, noting that the orcas abruptly retreated after being hit by the sperm whales' defensive defecation. This incident sheds light on the complex interactions and defensive tactics of marine creatures in the food chain.