Using AI to decipher Whale, Dolphin songs

https://www.jpost.com/environment-and-climate-change/article-913161

Scientists use AI to decipher whale, dolphin songs

These sounds play important roles in social interaction, reproduction, and navigation

Scientists examined whether artificial intelligence can help decipher the sounds of whales and dolphins at a public presentation organized by the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.

The presentation, titled “The Languages of the Cetaceans,” was delivered by Dr. Olivier Adam, deputy director of the university’s Ocean Institute and a specialist in underwater acoustics and marine mammal communication.

The event examined how whales and dolphins produce sounds, exchange information, and maintain social relationships. Adam explained differences between the vocal systems of baleen whales, which include humpbacks, and toothed cetaceans, which include dolphins and sperm whales.

Researchers have long studied the elaborate songs of humpback whales and the distinctive whistles and clicks used by dolphins. These sounds play important roles in social interaction, reproduction, and navigation, although much about their meaning remains unknown.

Machine-learning and breakthroughs in communication

Artificial intelligence offers new possibilities for studying such communication. Machine-learning systems can analyze extensive underwater recordings, identify recurring acoustic patterns, and detect relationships between sounds that human researchers might overlook.

Recognizing patterns does not necessarily mean understanding what animals are communicating. Establishing meaning requires examining the circumstances in which sounds occur and how other animals respond.

Adam’s research includes studies of humpback whale mothers and calves, sperm whale social behavior, and the effects of underwater noise pollution on marine mammals.

Shipping, offshore industrial activity, and other human-generated sounds can interfere with cetaceans’ ability to communicate and navigate, creating additional challenges for marine conservation.

https://www.jpost.com/environment-and-climate-change/article-913161