Tagging and Playback Studies to Toothed Whales

• Main Author: Tyack, Peter
• Other Authors: WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION MA DEPT OF BIOLOGY
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Biology; *WHALES; BEHAVIOR; ECOLOGY; OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA; PLAYBACK; SONAR; SOUND; TAGGING; Killer Whale; toothed whales; Killer whale
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA598744; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA598744

While atypical mass strandings of beaked whales have been linked to naval exercises using mid-frequency sonar, the causal chain of events from sound exposure to stranding has not been elucidated. We now know that beaked whales react strongly to sonar, killer whale, and bandlimited noise by ceasing echolocation and completing an unusually slow, directional ascent, in many cases leaving area entirely (Pirotta et al., 2012; Tyack et al., 2011; DeRuiter et al. 2013). Less is known about potential risks to other species of odontocetes that are exposed to sonar during navy exercises.