WOODS HOLE – A new study by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has discovered that a group of short-finned pilot whales living off the coast of Hawaii use distinct vocal dialects.
The study was published in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.
The discovery may help researchers better understand the complex social structure of these pilot whales.
“These groups of pilot whales all use the same habitat. The fact that they have different vocal repertoires means that they’re purposely not associating with each other,” said Amy Van Cise, a Postdoctoral Scholar at WHOI.
The study will also give researchers a better sense of the social ties between whale groups and help understand their genetic diversity and evolution.
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