Two of the main questions we ask in our lab is how marine mammals communicate and what kind of information they exchange. This requires the detailed analysis of vocal interactions in captivity and in the wild. We use passive acoustic localization to ascribe sounds to individuals. This allows us to correlate different types of vocalizations or interactions with behavioural contexts. Using these methods we describe the use of vocalizations during foraging and social interactions in dolphins and seals. This also includes the experimental investigation of vocal learning, one of the mechanisms that can be used to introduce novel signals into a communication system.
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