AI and drones decode beluga whale calls, revealing a richer animal culture

Researcher Valeria Vergara has been recording beluga whale calls with hydrophones off Somerset Island in the Canadian Arctic since 2015, where herds of up to 1,000 animals use dozens of distinct sounds to stay connected in murky waters. Scientists now use drones and machine learning to analyse those signals at unprecedented scale. Findings on belugas, humpbacks learning new songs and sperm whales' clan codas are broadening the understanding of animal culture.

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