For predatory whales that hunt mammals, silence is golden, because they catch their prey in complete darkness, listening to the voices and movements of marine animals. Such are, for example, killer whales, which begin to utter sounds only after a successful hunt.
Not all whales are silent
This species of whale lives in ocean waters near southeastern Alaska and preys mainly on porpoises and seals. Killer whales go hunting in packs and can destroy other whales and sharks. They have rightly earned the reputation of "sea wolves".
They can be divided into two main groups: those who hunt for salmon, and those whose prey are marine mammals.
These are two completely different types of whales. Whales feeding on fish make sounds, click, and signal each other to detect food using echolocation. Fish cannot distinguish between echolocation sounds and cannot hear hunters.
But mammalian hunters are often silent. The fact is that the animals they track down perfectly perceive the sounds with which the whales communicate.
If killer whales clicked all the time, like other species of whales, their prey would hear and recognize these sounds as a signal of danger and would have time to hide.
It is very difficult to navigate in impenetrable ocean water without echolocation. Therefore, huge hunters are forced to gather in flocks, eavesdrop and find prey by ear.
Usually, male seals make loud noises when they try to attract a female. From these sounds, killer whales quickly and easily recognize the location of mammals.
When they attack animals, they are usually too large to handle alone. Only at this moment the killer whale calls for help from another whale. Then one whale holds the caught prey, and the second torments it.
Why can't man hear whales
Human hearing is not adapted to distinguishing sounds under water. Therefore, people often see whales as silent creatures. But these underwater creatures are very "talkative". Members of the cetacean family communicate with each other using a variety of sounds. They make clicks, screams and echolocation signals.
For a person to be able to hear these sounds, he needs a special device - a hydrophone. This device works on the same principle as the dolphin's ear, perceiving underwater sounds as vibrations. These signals are then converted using an electrical signal and heard through headphones.
The most famous type of singing whale is the humpback whale, which lives along most oceanic coasts. At the same time, only males sing, and females are silent.
Beluga are often called sea canaries for the same reason. Blue whales produce sounds that can be heard over very long distances, they can be heard for thousands of kilometers. Killer whales and grinds emit high-frequency trills and whistle.
Representatives of the cetacean family use certain sounds for a variety of purposes: to attract a soul mate, explore the territory, long-range navigation, and hunting.
