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Related Experiment Videos

Deep-diving foraging behaviour of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus).

Stephanie L Watwood1, Patrick J O Miller, Mark Johnson

  • 1Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA. swatwood@whoi.edu

The Journal of Animal Ecology
|May 13, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Sperm whales use long-range echolocation for deep-sea foraging. Their efficient diving and consistent foraging behavior across regions highlight their success as mesopelagic predators.

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Area of Science:

  • Marine Biology
  • Animal Behavior
  • Bioacoustics

Background:

  • Sperm whales are deep-diving toothed whales that hunt in the mesopelagic zone.
  • Understanding their foraging strategies is key to their ecological role.
  • Vocalizations provide insights into their hunting behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the diving and vocal behavior of sperm whales during foraging dives.
  • To compare foraging strategies across different ocean basins (Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Ligurian Sea).
  • To investigate the function of sperm whale clicks in prey detection.

Main Methods:

  • Digital tags were deployed on 37 sperm whales to record dive profiles and vocalizations.
  • 198 complete and partial foraging dives were analyzed.

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  • Vocalizations, including regular clicks and buzzes, were correlated with dive phases.

    • Main Results:

    • Sperm whales exhibited regional differences in maximum dive depth but not in dive cycle duration or surface intervals.
    • Regular clicks were produced during most of the dive, particularly the descent, supporting a biosonar function.
    • Foraging effort, indicated by buzz vocalizations, was consistent across regions, with whales adjusting transit time for deeper dives.

    Conclusions:

    • Sperm whale foraging behavior is remarkably similar across different regions.
    • Long-range echolocation, efficient locomotion, and high aerobic capacity contribute to their success as mesopelagic predators.
    • The study supports the hypothesis that regular clicks function as a long-range biosonar for locating prey.