I held my breath and swam deeper, (click here) 10, 20, 30 feet. I heard a thunderous crack, then another, so loud they vibrated my chest. Below my kicking feet, two sperm whales emerged from the shadows, each as long as a school bus.
The cracking was coming from the whales; it’s a form of sonar called echolocation that species of dolphins, whales and other cetaceans use to “see” underwater. With these vocalizations, called clicks, the whales were snapping three-dimensional images of my body, and those of my diving companions, from the inside out — scanning us to see if we were a threat, or if we were food....
The most musical whale with a wide variety of tones, something like 17 different tones, is the humpback. Most people call the humpbacks' tones 'singing.'
I know this is not going to go over well, but, in the USA and most western countries whale tourism is against the law. As a matter of fact the 'swim with a dolphin' is tolerated because of economic returns, but, it is unlawful. To a scientist it is highly unethical.
The reason for such standards in the profession is because contact with human beings changes the 'signature' of the marine mammals. That is exceptionally true of dolphins.
The man in this article is involved in what scientists and the government calls 'takes.' Takes in the year 2016 is defined as CONTACT with a marine mammal. When a scientist is conducting research they have apply to the government and quality for 'takes' in every study they conduct. The 'takes' of scientists sometimes involve setting out a net around a marine mammal and weighing, measuring, recording, blood test and taking pictures of an individual. Those takes are to measure a population's health and hopefully detect early on any level of poisons in the water, etc.
A very dear woman scientist is so attuned to the dolphins of the "Sarasota" population she can listen through a microphone underwater and identify them by their 'signature.' She can also easily pick up new 'signatures' and realize when a female dolphin has given birth.
But, in all honesty when tourists take pictures on a whale watching boat, they are using 'unauthorized takes.' No one is going to stop them. Those activities endear these large mammals to society and provide them a great deal of protection. Those unauthorized takes are mostly benign, but, getting up close and personal leads to changes in 'signature' whistles. That is a fact.
I believe when a signature changes it relates a bonding between species members. Whales don't discern other species as whales so much as a species that can communicate with them.
The ability to impact a 'signature' is a profound reality to the human species. It is a privilege, but, also an astounding reality. Think about it.
I simply believe anyone involved in sensitive conservation activities should know the unspoken rule of the species we have come to understand and love. The purity of the activity should be part of a professional's priorities.
Let's see Do-Ra-Me-Fa-So-La-Te-Do. That is EIGHT human tones. I think the humpback whale has something on us, yes? Okay, okay, there are sharps and flats which makes it 24 different tones.
Tones are not words.
The cracking was coming from the whales; it’s a form of sonar called echolocation that species of dolphins, whales and other cetaceans use to “see” underwater. With these vocalizations, called clicks, the whales were snapping three-dimensional images of my body, and those of my diving companions, from the inside out — scanning us to see if we were a threat, or if we were food....
The most musical whale with a wide variety of tones, something like 17 different tones, is the humpback. Most people call the humpbacks' tones 'singing.'
I know this is not going to go over well, but, in the USA and most western countries whale tourism is against the law. As a matter of fact the 'swim with a dolphin' is tolerated because of economic returns, but, it is unlawful. To a scientist it is highly unethical.
The reason for such standards in the profession is because contact with human beings changes the 'signature' of the marine mammals. That is exceptionally true of dolphins.
The man in this article is involved in what scientists and the government calls 'takes.' Takes in the year 2016 is defined as CONTACT with a marine mammal. When a scientist is conducting research they have apply to the government and quality for 'takes' in every study they conduct. The 'takes' of scientists sometimes involve setting out a net around a marine mammal and weighing, measuring, recording, blood test and taking pictures of an individual. Those takes are to measure a population's health and hopefully detect early on any level of poisons in the water, etc.
A very dear woman scientist is so attuned to the dolphins of the "Sarasota" population she can listen through a microphone underwater and identify them by their 'signature.' She can also easily pick up new 'signatures' and realize when a female dolphin has given birth.
But, in all honesty when tourists take pictures on a whale watching boat, they are using 'unauthorized takes.' No one is going to stop them. Those activities endear these large mammals to society and provide them a great deal of protection. Those unauthorized takes are mostly benign, but, getting up close and personal leads to changes in 'signature' whistles. That is a fact.
I believe when a signature changes it relates a bonding between species members. Whales don't discern other species as whales so much as a species that can communicate with them.
The ability to impact a 'signature' is a profound reality to the human species. It is a privilege, but, also an astounding reality. Think about it.
I simply believe anyone involved in sensitive conservation activities should know the unspoken rule of the species we have come to understand and love. The purity of the activity should be part of a professional's priorities.
Let's see Do-Ra-Me-Fa-So-La-Te-Do. That is EIGHT human tones. I think the humpback whale has something on us, yes? Okay, okay, there are sharps and flats which makes it 24 different tones.
Tones are not words.
