Whales' use of echolocation can be seen on YouTube
By Joe Gaydos of the SeaDoc Society
From the pleasure of listening to music to the necessity of detecting danger, sound is an important part of our lives. It’s even more important to whales and dolphins. On Tuesday, November 10 at 7 p.m., Jason Wood will give a free public talk entitled Whales, Echolocation and Noise.
Dr. Wood is the Research Curator at The Whale Museum and an instructor for Beam Reach Marine Science and Sustainability School. He holds a PhD from the University of California at Davis and has studied vocalizations in animals as diverse as whales and elephants.
Whales and dolphins produce sound using vocal folds found at the edge of their blowhole. The sound is focused as it travels through the fat in their melon and out into the water. These sonar clicks are reflected back when they strike an object and the reflected noise travels down the jaw of the whale, through jaw fat and to the ear. This echolocation allows whales and dolphins to navigate, feed and communicate in areas where the best eyes couldn’t see. What’s it like to use echolocation? Wood’s lecture will discuss will explain the intricacies of how whales produce and use sound and how human generated noise can impact them.
This is the second lecture of the 2009/10 Marine Science Lecture Series, created to inspire the general public about the amazing fish and wildlife of our region. Lectures are free and held at Camp Orkila’s marine salmon center. Please park in the upper parking lot at Camp Orkila. Shuttle service from the parking lot to the talk is available before and after the lecture.
The 2009/10 Marine Science Lecture Series is presented by program partners The SeaDoc Society and YMCA Camp Orkila.
It is made possible through generous sponsorship by Tom Averna (Deer Harbor Charters), and The Gould Family Foundation and co-sponsorship by Barbara Brown, Eclipse Charters, Shearwater Sea Kayak Tours, Jim and Kathy Youngren and West Sound Marina. For more information, call 376-3610.
