Clicks, grunts and squeals: the wonders of whale communication – podcast

Ever since the earliest known recording of whale song was made in 1949, researchers have been captivated by the wails, rumbles, clicks, grunts and squeals of their communication. As technology improves, scientists are decoding the intricate patterns that make different species’ vocalisations distinctive. Madeleine Finlay hears from Emma Bryce, a journalist who has spent months investigating human efforts to understand whale song. She explains how this knowledge could help us better protect whales from human-made harms.Credits:1. Copyright 1978 National Geographic Society and 1977 Capitol Records, Inc. Commentary by Dr Roger Payne2. Valeria Vergara/Raincoast Conservation Foundation3. Footage courtesy of Raincoast Conservation Foundation - Obtained for research under SARA permit XMMS 4 20264. Video by Amanda Cotton/Project CETI5. Footage courtesy of Valeria Vergara and GREMM. Obtained for research under SARA permits QUE-MM02-2016 and QUE-LEP-001-20186. Project CETI7. Project CETIHow decoding beluga whales’ chitchat may save them – and teach us more about ourselvesSupport the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod Continue reading...