Irish Dolphins Have Their Own Dialect

Scientists who study dolphins in the Shannon river estuary believe that these animals can develop a dialect of their own for communication purposes among themselves.

The Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Foundation is studying a group of about a hundred dolphins living in the Shannon river estuary and they have been recording sounds which they have been producing.

As a part of the research project, Ronan Hickey digitalised and analysed 1,882 sounds of Irish dolphins from the Cardigan Bay, along the coastline of Walles.

The researcher discovered 32 types of sounds that can be compiled into six large categories.

The foundation discovered that both groups of dolphins use most types of sounds, but only Irish dolphins use eight of them.

-We are compiling a catalogue of various types of sounds used by dolphins and we are trying to link them with their behaviour like digging, unwrapping, creating bonds or communicating with the young ones- professor Simon Berrow clarifies, the project`s director.

-We are actually elaborating something that could be a dictionary of sounds that dolphins make- he added.

Simon Berrow, a marine biologist, points out that dolphins use snapping for direction or localising their prey. These sounds serve for communication.

-They produce other types of sounds as well, similar to barking, snorting or gun shots- Berrow said.

-When I first heard a sound alike a gun shot, I was surprised. I thought that sperm whales were the only species that produce such sounds. We can presume that use them in the same manner as sperm whales do- he explained.