Recording and Analysis of Dolphin Echolocation Signals

Abstract

A new technique for recording dolphin echolocation signals during target-discrimination tests is described. The technique utilizes sensors attached to the animal. A brief description of the sensors is provided. A short color film of dolphin echolocation tests performed using the attached sensors is shown. Problems in recording the transient-like dolphin echolocation signals are discussed. A short summary of analyses of echolocation signals of two dolphins—an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, Montagu, and an Amazon river dolphin, Inia geoffrensis—is presented. [This work was performed under contract with NURDC, San Diego, California.]