Culture is largely considered a human characteristic. Yet, according to Mirror Daily, scientists have always wondered if “cultural boundaries” exist within animals. Although not entirely conclusive, there has been evidence of such seen in monkeys, which are capable of learning from each other in a practice researchers refer to as cultural conformity.
Now, an 18-year study, led by researchers in Canada and published in the journal of Nature Communications, reveals that this might also be the case for sperm whales, which – like humans – can speak in dialects of language.
THE PARTICULARS OF WHALE LANGUAGE
Language is defined as “the ability to acquire and use complex systems of communication (particularly the human ability to do so).” Like many other facets of culture, there are regional differences in language that span across a geographical and historical timeline – and apparently, this is also true for sperm whale clans that inhabit an area around the Galapagos Islands.
WHAT ARE SPERM WHALES CHIT-CHATTING ABOUT?
Although researchers do not know what information is being passed between these mammals, they are certain that sperm whales utilize different systems of “codas” – or distinctive patterns of clicks (the closest human comparison is the sound of Morse code).
According to Mauricio Cantor, the co-author of the study, the variation of codas is somewhat parallel to regional accents. To come to this conclusion, researchers spent 18 years in offshores seas studying the species, taking over 20,000 coda samples and investigating whether or not the mammals can learn from each other. The samples were recorded with underwater microphones and then combined with data, as well as computer simulations, over the past 30 years, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Interestingly enough, the sperm whales do not belong to different cultures, nor are they geographically isolated as Mirror Daily highlights; rather, sperm whales learn and take language cues from their group of relatives and friends. Dialects, as such, begin to evolve as whales imitate the sounds heard from their peers.
Two frequently observed and non-intermingling clans, as an example, utilize distinctively different click patterns. The first, “regular clan,” communicates through regularly spaced clicks, while the “plus-ones” have an extended pause at the end before their final click.
“They behave differently; they move around differently; they babysit their babies differently,” stated Hal Whitehead, a professor from Dalhousie University, which led the study.
“It’s quite rare to find groups of animals of the same species in the same area with unique behaviours. In this case, whales living in the same waters, at the same time, with unique communication signals, states Cantor.
“Groups of females and calves live together for many years…so we generally find mums, aunts, grandmas and friends, all hanging out and chit-chatting for their entire lives.”
