Solitary dolphin “learns” to speak the language of porpoises in Scotland – Science

The Gulf of Scotland is located on the west coast of Scotland Firth Clydewhich is home to thousands of porpoises (Fukuena Fukuena) and the female common short-billed dolphin (Delphine DelphisHis name is Kylie. In a study published in the scientific journal Vital acousticsIn January of this year, scientists revealed that the solitary dolphin gets along with its neighbors, trying to speak its “language”.

According to the American magazine National GeographicKylie has not been seen with other dolphins for at least 14 years, but visitors to the marina can occasionally see the female swimming with porpoises, who are her “cousins” about two-thirds of her size.

Research indicates that Kylie’s bonds with porpoises are closer than previously thought. While the vocal repertoire of the common dolphin should include a variety of clicks, whistles, and pulsing calls, the female does not. Instead, it “talks” like porpoises, which communicate using high-pitched clicks.

According to the American Journal, a stray dolphin may be communicating with porpoises, or at least trying to. This helps to understand the world of interactions between different cetacean species.

“Obviously species in the wild interact a lot more than we thought,” Dennis Herzing, an expert on dolphin behavior, commented, citing National Geographic.

Years ago, the only resident dolphin in Clyde was found at the mouth of a lake called Kyles of Bute. Since then, locals have called her Kylie. But no one knows where they came from, or why they ended up on their own, says marine biologist David Nairn, founder and director of Clyde Burboise, a local organization dedicated to searching and protecting marine mammals.

The magazine notes that the female dolphin has not been seen for a year, but residents hope it will return soon.

To understand Kylie’s relationship with porpoises, Nairn used a file nails (water microphone) and installed behind the sailboat. Encounters between dolphins and porpoises were recorded between 2016 and 2018.

“She definitely identifies as a porpoise,” David Nairn comments for American Magazine.

While dolphins whistle almost constantly, porpoises communicate exclusively with high-frequency clicks, around 130 kilohertz (kilohertz).

While Kylie’s sounds are an attempt at communication between species, scientists believe porpoises can make sense of something.