Animals are primarily controlled by instinct, but they have not been left without the ability to use rather complex forms of communication. It is known that sperm whales can echolate (use high-frequency sounds to orient themselves) in the same way as bats. Sperm whales send out a series of clicks from a special organ in their head. Scientists believe that even though other whales lack this specific organ, they can communicate by means of a less precise method of echolocation which uses low-pitched calls.
The haunting melodies of the humpback whale can last 30 minutes. A humpback song will be the same within a single population of whales, and sometimes within an entire ocean basin. Some whales are even believed to carry on conversations over thousands of miles. Could these intricate forms of communication have developed by chance?
From A Closer Look at the Evidence by Kleiss, June 30.
