Acoustic study reveals deep-diving behavior of elusive beaked whales

Eavesdropping on Beaked Whales Reveals the Secrets of Their Deepwater Lives

Beaked whales, named for their long snouts, are one of the least-studied marine mammals because they spend a lot of time foraging in the deep. Their dives can last more than two hours, during which they can descend to nearly 10,000 feet. Even when beaked whales surface for air, they remain elusive because their blowholes spray water more forward than vertically. A paper published yesterday in PLOS One, however, gleaned information on beaked whal…

Acoustic study reveals deep-diving behavior of elusive beaked whales

Scientists have captured a rare view of one of the ocean's least understood whales—without ever seeing it. By listening to the sounds beaked whales naturally produce, researchers have reconstructed a three-dimensional picture of their deep-diving behavior in the Gulf of Mexico. The study provides the first detailed description of the deep-diving behavior of a Gervais's beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus) anywhere in the world.

Elusive Beaked Whales May Dive Over 3,000 Feet to Forage Near the Seafloor

Learn how six months of underwater recordings uncovered new details about how beaked whales hunt near the ocean bottom.

New 3D Acoustic Technology Reveals Elusive Beaked Whales Diving to the

Beaked whales, enigmatic creatures that dwell in the depths of our oceans, continue to captivate the scientific community as researchers unlock the mysteries surrounding their elusive behavior. Recent studies utilizing advanced three-dimensional acoustic technology have provided unprecedented insights into the dive patterns and acoustic detection ranges of these whales off the Louisiana coast. The study […]