Sperm whales restructure their click patterns around shipping noise

Project CETI researchers found that sperm whales off Dominica compress click tempo and shift coda types near ships — not just raise volume. After four years and 1,000-plus recorded codas, they could predict ship presence from vocalizations alone. Published in Ecological Informatics, the study suggests decibel-based noise rules may miss functional impacts on whale communication. Speed limits and vessel rerouting could matter as much as quieter ships.