Objective

An understanding of the behavioral responses of cetaceans to anthropogenic sounds requires knowledge of the baseline behavior of these species. Without such information, it will be almost impossible to identify, detect, and assess actual responses. In addition, the response of cetaceans to sound typically depends on the context of exposure and the physiological condition, experience, and behavioral state of exposed individuals. Currently, little information exists on the baseline behavior of cetaceans or on the factors that may influence their response to anthropogenic sound.

There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that the response of some odontocetes to certain types of anthropogenic sound, including some naval sonar, is consistent with anti-predator behavior. This has led to speculation that the strong aversive responses resulting in cetacean strandings may reflect an anti-predatory behavior in which animals are responding to sonar signals that they perceive as killer whale sounds.

The objective of this project is to understand how odontocete cetaceans respond to the sounds of potential predators, which share some characteristics with the sounds of some military sonar. Researchers will examine the responses of four species with different social patterns, from solitary species to those that live in permanent family groups, to determine whether social structure influences the response to acoustic stimuli. These observations will be used to create a conceptual model of the anti-predator behavior of these four species to improve understanding of their response to certain anthropogenic sounds.