Killer Whale Communication

How Killer Whales Communicate?

The communication methods of the Killer Whale are interesting, at least what we do know about them. There is still plenty of ground that needs to be covered and information that needs to be deciphered. They are very intelligent creatures, and research shows that the cortex of the brain is very developed. They have a sense of who they are as well as their pod around them.

Most of the time though resident Killer Whales socialize very well with other animals. They have been known to share the waters with dolphins, seals, and sea lions with nothing but positive interactions. It depends on the location though and the types of animals involved in such a scenario.

Each pod can have its own dialect that is somewhat different from the rest. This is due to the amount of time they spend socializing with each other and the bonds that they form. Many pods together can form what is known as a clan. Killer Whales are very vocal and they offer a variety of calls and songs. They also communicate using clicks and whistles that are very meaningful to them even though we haven’t been able to fully decipher them yet.

What we do know is that the calls they used are a learned behavior. Some pods have very similar calls, and that is because they are genetically linked. These early sounds that they are exposed to while young stay with them even when they move into a transient group. The females do teach their young the various calls from an early age. This is very similar to how human parents talk to their children to teach them new words.

From what researchers have observed, Killer Whales are very intelligent animals. They have a level of communication and social structure that is well beyond most others out there. It is believed that Killer Whales create their own subcultures as well just like humans do. Many of them also communicate through touch just as humans do. Actions that resemble both affection and aggression have been noted by Killer Whales within their pods.

It is also known that some types of noise in the water can harm the communication process of Killer Whales. Even the use of SONAR from the various military operations. Sounds from ships, industry in the areas, and more are very stressful for Killer Whales. They have very good hearing so they can pick up such sounds from a very long distance. They pick up sound through their lower jaw line.

The fact that Killer Whales are so intelligent, their communication methods continue to evolve as a way to survive. Since they have their own dialect in their pods though it is hard for researchers to accurately decipher all of it. There is plenty of ongoing research that needs to be done before it is all figured out.

The fact that so much of their communication takes place under the water though makes it even harder for it all to be recorded. With the advances in technology though we are able to find new ways to be able to observe their types of communication. There are some experts that dedicate all of their time to Killer Whale communication as they are so fascinated by it.

It has also been determined that Killer Whales in captivity learn to communicate with humans. Not only are they able to follow commands they seem to understand when they are being spoken to and when they are being praised. It is believed they find the voices and words of some humans more appealing than others. In such scenarios the Killer Whales are also know to create their own ways of effectively communicating with these human caregivers.