Humpback whale adult females and calves balance acoustic contact with vocal crypsis during periods of increased separation.

ABSTRACT: Acoustic communication is important for animals with dependent young, particularly when they are spatially separated. Maternal humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) use acoustic calling to help minimize the risk of separation from their young calves during migration. These pairs also use acoustic crypsis to minimize detection by males. How they balance a restricted active space with the need to maintain acoustic contact during periods of separation is not yet understood. Here, we analyzed movement metrics of tagged adult female-calf pairs during migration to identify two behavioral states, "resting/milling" and "travelling." When travelling, these pairs dived synchronously and exhibited little to no spatial separation. Alternatively, adult females had significantly longer dive du

SUBMITTER: Indeck KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8826064 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature