Scientists have discovered that sperm whales in the Mediterranean Sea seem to have unique accents. Like people from different places, groups of whales can use slightly different sound patterns depending on where they live.

Sperm whales, the largest toothed whales, communicate with short clicks called codas.* Many Mediterranean whales use a pattern called “3+1.”

This means that they make three clicks, pause, and then make one more click. The whales use these clicks to identify themselves as belonging to larger groups called vocal clans.

However, not all sperm whales in the Mediterranean sound exactly the same. Whales in the eastern Mediterranean Sea near Greece use a faster version of the “3+1” pattern, while whales living near Spain and Italy use a slower version. Eastern whales occasionally use the slower pattern too, suggesting they can remember both dialects.

This discovery is exciting because it shows that whale communication can change over time. Young whales may learn coda patterns from older members of their group. Just like people, the whales learn by copying the sounds of other whales around them.

* Mediterranean Sea 지중해

* coda 코다 (향유고래가 내는 딸깍 소리 패턴)