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A recent study discovered that sperm whales reside in societies with democratic structures and may spend up to an hour deliberating before making a directional change.
According to Hal Whitehead, a scientist who studies sperm whales at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, recent findings suggest that these creatures have similarities to humans as they tend to create social groups, or “cultural clans,” in the ocean.
The study, which was published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, utilized underwater microphones and drone surveys in the Pacific Ocean to observe the feeding patterns and vocalizations of sperm whales.
The findings showed that the social structure of sperm whales consists of groups of approximately 20,000 members, organized into distinct clans. These clans are differentiated by their unique vocal dialects, potentially serving as symbols of clan affiliation.
Surprisingly, scientists also discovered that the creatures exclusively interact with individuals from their own group and make collective choices about their movements and methods of transportation.
According to the paper, sperm whales, often seen in large groups, collaborate to make crucial decisions on navigation, speed, and feeding in a diverse and dangerous environment.
-degree turn”
“A significant number of alterations in collective actions occur gradually and chaotically – it can take a group of sperm whales over an hour to turn 90 degrees.”o
“Evolve into a highly probable democratic state.”
The clans were predominantly made up of females, with males only visiting occasionally for a brief period to “transfer sperm.”
The lab is called Goldbogen Lab and it is located at Duke Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab.
The research indicates that certain clans can cover vast distances of thousands of kilometers, and there were seven of these groups identified in the Pacific Ocean.
Although multiple clans may occupy the same territory, scientists have observed that whales only interact with members of their own clan. This behavior is similar to how various human language groups function.
The groups were discovered to have a mostly matrilineal structure, where approximately ten female sperm whales and their young formed the social units.
According to the study, sperm whales, especially females and young, are highly social creatures. They are usually found in close proximity to one another and engage in behaviors such as gathering and rolling around for extended periods of time. These interactions help form strong and lasting bonds within the group.
It stated: “The unit’s members journey as a group, nurse each other’s babies, and care for them while the mothers go on extended deep dives to gather food.”
During their teenage years, male sperm whales typically care for their original social groups and then venture to colder regions, leaving their mothers and female relatives in warmer waters. This leads to a high level of sexual segregation in these animals, which is uncommon among other species.
According to Whitehead, the clans seemed to be primarily led and made up of females. Male members would only come to visit females for short periods of time, solely for the purpose of transferring sperm.
The sperm whale possesses the biggest brain among all known creatures that have inhabited the earth. Its prominent feature is a large nose housing a spermaceti organ.
The main purpose of the spermaceti organ is to act as a sonar, producing clicks with the most intense sound pressure of any animal. This enables sperm whales to effectively locate their prey in deep waters.
Whitehead observed that the spermaceti organ holds an exceptionally high-quality oil, making sperm whales a sought-after prey for whalers. Between 1712 and 1982, more than a million sperm whales were hunted and killed in the depths of the ocean.
As the practice of whaling ceased and studies on living creatures expanded, Whitehead observed that similarities between humans and these species became increasingly evident.
He stated that studying the species in a vastly distinct environment suggests that the mechanisms of social development may not be exclusive to humans.
Source: independent.co.uk
