What is dolphins echolocation? If you dismantle this word, you will notice that it is actually a word that was created by putting the words echo and location together. So is it important? Yes, it is as it allows you to get a basic definition of the word. The word echo means that the sound that was produced by either a living being or an object actually comes back to its source. The further away the object is, the lower the frequency of the echo. The closer the object is, the higher is the frequency. Dolphins usually can emit sound ranging in frequency from 1.5 up to 11.0 kHz. Most of the time, echolocation has sounds of frequency ranging between 2.0 and 4.0 kHz but certain dolphins can emit sounds such as whistling at a frequency as high as 15.0 kHz. The echo is then producing an acoustic image of the located object or living being is then analyzed and identified. What is the use of dolphins echolocation? It has quite a few purposes: identifying and locating objects, predators, food, a lost calf or a sick member of their pod. In fact, they can even detect a womans pregnancy even before she find out about it and as a result, will behave in a protective manner. How dolphins echolocation does physically works? Sounds are emitted by the nasal sac which is located behind the melon (rounded part of the dolphins forehead). Then, as the sounds echoes back, the melon is in charge of focusing on sounds and defining them as to enable the dolphins brain to analyze and identify their source. What type of information does echolocation provide to the dolphin? A lot more than you think, for example, it allows the dolphin not only to locate and identify the source but also to discover the size, direction, distance, speed and even the internal structure of any object or living being in the water. Is the dolphin the only mammal to use echolocation? No, other species such as bats use echolocation as both a safety and survival skill. In fact, the sonar used by the Marine, fishermen, the airport, and other human facilities and services have and are still studying dolphins echolocation to create, years ago, and perfect the technology behind it. Is dolphins echolocation their language or not? In fact, echolocation can be used as part of their language but is not a language. You see, a dolphins language is made of a variety of sounds. Some of them are used in echolocation to warn or locate a member of their pod like a lost calf or a sick or injured member of their group or even a dangerous situation or predator in which cases; echolocation becomes part of their language. In other times, a variety of sounds will be used to communicate a variety of information such as anger, joy, a desire to play, etc. |
