Distinctive Communication of Dolphins

The capabilities of different organisms are astounding particularly in identifying objects from a far. The association between object characteristics such as visual shape, and sensory characteristics like retinal projection, is unclear. The processes on how these characteristics work hand-in-hand remains imprecise. Dolphins communicate by making two types of sounds: vocalizations and echolocation are the two sounds produced by dolphins for communication. Vocalizations are the squeaking sounds from the blowhole that is often heard by humans which is used by dolphins to communicate.

Echolocation also called sonar, is a distinctive ability of dolphins to locate and discern objects down under (Janik, 2000). A dolphin releases a particular sound and listens for the echo allowing dolphins to travel under dark waters without bumping or hitting into anything. As much as 1,200 clicks/ sound can be produced in a second and can be transmitted in advance These clicks are from the rounded forehead of the dolphin, melon; along with its lower jaw filled with jelly-like substances for sound waves amplification.

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When a dolphin swims, the head is moved back and forth to skim through its surroundings, while the echoes are send out to bounce off objects aiming at the lower jawbone, returning sound waves to the inner ear, and this whole process occur rapidly, similarly to how fast a human brain decodes if the individual accidentally touches a hot object. The pitch of the returning echo and the time it takes to get there is important so the dolphin can determine the shape, size, speed, texture, and density of the object; even inside of an object, almost like an X-ray (McCowan, 2001).

Echolocation is not solely for communicative processes; it also serves the purpose of locating preys, other dolphins, predators, a lost baby or a sick dolphin. Through echolocation, it allows dolphin to explore its water world wherein sight is of little use. Also, echolocation entails fast analysis of the sound being heard as to what message is conveyed by the dolphin who send the sound (http://www. dolphins-and-more. com/dolphins-echolocation. html)

If a dolphin makes a sound, the sound bounces off into objects and creatures then it bounces back in the dolphin's direction who is going to receive the sound and the information given by it when its sonar receives it. The dolphin's brain comprehends the message obtained, hence the dolphin will respond accordingly to the message. Echolocation provides vibrations, their frequency, the level of energy, the distance and if the object is moving or not is very important. With these factors interacting, it creates varied “dolphin messages” (Tyack, 2000).