Manatees chat with sounds humans can't hear
Manatees, the peaceful sea cows, use inaudible low-frequency sounds to communicate across vast underwater distances, a vital adaptation for their survival and social cohesion.
Manatees, often called sea cows, communicate using low-frequency sounds underwater. These gentle giants produce chirps, squeaks, and rumbles below 20 hertz, inaudible to human ears but perfect for traveling through water over long distances. This allows them to maintain group cohesion in murky rivers and coastal waters, especially during mating or mother-calf reunions. Scientists monitor these vocal patterns to track population health and migration, crucial for protecting endangered species like the Florida manatee, whose numbers have rebounded significantly. However, human-generated noise from boats may disrupt this vital communication, highlighting the need for quieter oceans.