Wildlife

A recent study published on Tuesday has revealed that sperm whales possess a complex form of communication akin to a "phonetic alphabet," allowing them to convey what scientists liken to words and phrases.

Researchers focused on sperm whales inhabiting the waters near the Caribbean island of Dominica, observing how they communicate by emitting rapid clicks resembling Morse code through their respiratory systems. These clicks, organised into sets, serve as the fundamental elements of their language. Pratyusha Sharma, one of the study's lead authors, noted that the study uncovered a greater level of "expressivity" in sperm whale calls than previously understood. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.

“We do not know yet what they are saying. We are studying the calls in their behavioural contexts next to understand what sperm whales might be communicating about,” she said.