Audio
Bottlenose dolphins
Picture: Charlie Philips
Bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) have elaborate sound production and receiving systems. In the Tursiops, four major types of vocalisations have been identified: whistles, clicks, burst pulsed sounds and chirps.
Whistles are used in communication. Clicks are directional and used for echolocation. Burst pulsed sounds occur commonly in social and emotional context and are thought to be used for communication. Chirps are also thought to be used in communication.
Recent research has concluded that every dolphin has it’s own unique ’signature whistle’. Listening to these whistles is one way to identify specific dolphins and track their whereabouts.