17 Dec 2020

Whales mirroring predator sounds to avoid them

From Morning Report, 8:57 am on 17 December 2020

Smart whales are one upping their predators by learning how to mirror them.

The finding comes from new research from Australia which says the long-finned pilot whale is outsmarting killer whales by mimicking their calls.

Researchers also found evidence of "duetting", which is common in birds and primates, but very rarely reported in aquatic mammals.

It suggests the whale's sophisticated communication is more complex than previously thought.

Lead author Rachael Courts from Curtin's Centre for Marine Science and Technology speaks to Susie Ferguson.