A conversation between dolphins has been recorded for the first time. Researchers listened in on a pair of Black Sea bottlenose dolphins, Yasha and Yana, taking it in turns to produce a series of pulses, which they believe are individual words strung together to create sentences.
The researchers at Karadag Nature Reserve used a new underwater microphone that could distinguish between different sounds the animals made. They found there was an eerily human-like flow to the conversation between Yasha and Yana. The animals would take turns producing pulses and clicks with up to five distinct sounds or “words” if you will. The other dolphin would wait for the “sentence” to be complete before replying.
As for what they are saying, we aren’t sure yet. In 2007, Australian scientists were able to identify specific whistles that dolphins could use to find others or indicate the presence of food. These more complex patterns of phonemes are difficult to decipher. These are animals with entirely different brain structures that handle the processing of sensory input in auditory ranges beyond our ability to perceive. Their brains are also larger than those of humans, although they’re smaller relative to body mass. Dolphins still have the highest brain to body mass ratio of any creature other than humans.
With this new data about the way dolphins communicate, other teams may be able to compare sentences in other populations and find some commonalities that could help identify meanings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RsDEnQ0GHI
Bertha R. Massie
