Media Releases and Opportunities
» Go to news mainMedia opportunity: How do whales and dolphins make decisions? Do they follow a leader or decide as a group? Dalhousie University researcher looks into it and finds unexpected results
Many species of whales and dolphins live in pods, with some groups frequently reaching more than 50 members. It's thought they form large schools for protection, to better hunt for food and find mates, and to socialize and share knowledge.
But how do these species make decisions with so many members? Do they follow a leader or decide as a group?
Researchers at Dalhousie University examined the scientific literature on how both terrestrial and aquatic mammals make decisions and came up with some surprising findings.
Knowing that whales and dolphins live in ocean environments where food is patchy and unpredictable, and where there is little evidence of territoriality as with many land mammals, they expected to find a lot of shared decision-making. Studies show, however, that decisions are often made by leaders in whale and dolphin pods.
Elizabeth Zwamborn, a marine mammal scientist at Dalhousie, led the review that suggests pod members may value the knowledge of older individuals, particularly females, and follow their lead.
Zwamborn is available to discuss the findings and why there is a need for more research on decision-making among whales and dolphins to better understand such things as mass stranding events.
-30-
Media contact:
Alison Auld
Senior Research Reporter
Communications, Marketing and Creative Services
Dalhousie University
Cell: 1-902-220-0491
Email: alison.auld@dal.ca
Recent News
- Media opportunity: Dalhousie University finds a genetic test can predict a person's probability of developing depression or bipolar disorder
- Media opportunity: Protein linked to severe asthma may bolster immune response and help protect against respiratory viruses like COVID, RSV: Dalhousie University research
- Media opportunity: Dalhousie University study highlights gaps in health care preparedness to address high rates of violence against women in Nova Scotia
- Media release: Study finds drug decriminalization in British Columbia linked to significant reduction in criminal justice involvement
- Media opportunity: Ever wondered what chickens are saying when they squawk, purr, growl and cluck? Well, there's an app for that
- Media opportunity: Dalhousie Scientists work with Nova Scotia companies to develop ocean technology and portable lab to support Canadian mission studying climate change at the bottom of the earth
- Media opportunity: Dalhousie University researchers find 'cosmic fuel tank' hidden in infant galaxy cluster roughly 24.5 billion light years away
- Media opportunity: Dalhousie study finds simple procedure beats first‑line treatment for leading cause of natural sudden death