Tuning in to the signature 'whistles' of dolphins could prove a game-changer in being able to accurately track the movements of this much-loved protected species.
Tuning in to the signature 'whistles' of dolphins could prove a game-changer in being able to accurately track the movements of this much-loved protected species.
Researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) and Curtin University have moved an important step closer to using sound rather than sight to track individual dolphin activity.
Their study, which has potential implications for dolphin communities around the world, investigated whether there was a way to attribute unique whistles to individual bottlenose dolphins living in Western Australia's Swan River.
It is the first time researchers have attempted acoustic tracking dolphins in the Swan River, which is a complicated marine ecosystem due to its high volume of activity and noise.
Read more at Edith Cowan University
Image: Researchers are developing a new approach to monitor individual dolphin activity through matching unique sounds, known as signature whistles (Credit: Chandra Salgado Kent)
