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Vocal repertoire of Norwegian killer whales (Orcinus orca)
Be part of an interdisciplinary team and contribute to a project investigating the vocal repertoire of free-ranging
killer whale calls using bioacoustics and machine learning techniques.
**Research context**
Cetaceans are extremely vocal animals, with high cognitive
skills, providing striking parallels in social complexity and
behavioural richness to some human societies. Outside of
humans, cetaceans are one of a select number of taxa that are
capable of vocal production learning, meaning that they can
diversify their vocal repertoire across their lifetime based on their
individual social experiences, making them an ideal study
system for investigating questions regarding the evolution of
complex communication, including vocal learning, referential
labelling, syntax comprehension, and joint action. Exploring a
species’ vocal repertoire is an important step towards
investigating the use of cues in animal communication – their
functionality, variability and social relevance.
**Our approach**
We follow a data driven approach to develop a state-of-the-art
recording technology to acquire large datasets of cetacean
vocalizations. The challenge is to record all calls from all
individuals within a group and to attribute each call to an
individual. We address this challenge with long base-line
hydrophone arrays and signal processing methods to separate
and localize individual calls. Isolated calls serve the study of
phonetics and vocal repertoire. The longitudinal datasets will be
used to explore the mechanisms of group communication and
provide a foundation for exploring the linguistic structure of
cetacean communication systems with a data science approach.
**Research context** Cetaceans are extremely vocal animals, with high cognitive skills, providing striking parallels in social complexity and behavioural richness to some human societies. Outside of humans, cetaceans are one of a select number of taxa that are capable of vocal production learning, meaning that they can diversify their vocal repertoire across their lifetime based on their individual social experiences, making them an ideal study system for investigating questions regarding the evolution of complex communication, including vocal learning, referential labelling, syntax comprehension, and joint action. Exploring a species’ vocal repertoire is an important step towards investigating the use of cues in animal communication – their functionality, variability and social relevance.
**Our approach** We follow a data driven approach to develop a state-of-the-art recording technology to acquire large datasets of cetacean vocalizations. The challenge is to record all calls from all individuals within a group and to attribute each call to an individual. We address this challenge with long base-line hydrophone arrays and signal processing methods to separate and localize individual calls. Isolated calls serve the study of phonetics and vocal repertoire. The longitudinal datasets will be used to explore the mechanisms of group communication and provide a foundation for exploring the linguistic structure of cetacean communication systems with a data science approach.
The aim of this project is to define the vocal repertoire of
free-ranging killer whales inhabiting the Norwegian coast.
You will be responsible for 1) conducting a literature search and
summarising killer whale call types that have already been
described, 2) annotating and segmenting killer whale calls from
recordings collected in Norway, 3) creating a call catalogue for
the population, 4) classifying Norwegian killer whale call types
using machine learning methods, 5) contributing to the scientific
publication. We will schedule weekly meetings to discuss
outcomes, ideas and next steps. The thesis workload is designed
for 6-month full-time work.
The aim of this project is to define the vocal repertoire of free-ranging killer whales inhabiting the Norwegian coast.
You will be responsible for 1) conducting a literature search and summarising killer whale call types that have already been described, 2) annotating and segmenting killer whale calls from recordings collected in Norway, 3) creating a call catalogue for the population, 4) classifying Norwegian killer whale call types using machine learning methods, 5) contributing to the scientific publication. We will schedule weekly meetings to discuss outcomes, ideas and next steps. The thesis workload is designed for 6-month full-time work.
We are looking for a motivated student with interests in
bioacoustics and good coding skills. Depending on the interests
of the applicant we can tailor the scope of the independent work.
To apply please send a CV, cover letter and transcript of records
before July 25th, 2022, to one of the contacts below.
Vocal repertoire of Norwegian killer
whales (Orcinus orca)
Be part of an interdisciplinary team and contribute to a project investigating the vocal repertoire of free-ranging
killer whale calls using bioacoustics and machine learning techniques.
Keywords: bioacoustics, vocal repertoire, cetaceans, acoustic analyses, vocal communication, behavioural ecology
Supervisors:
Prof. Dr. Richard Hahnloser: rich@ini.ethc.ch
Dr. Jörg Rychen: jrychen@ethz.ch
Dr. Kaja Wierucka: kaja.wierucka@uzh.ch
We are looking for a motivated student with interests in bioacoustics and good coding skills. Depending on the interests of the applicant we can tailor the scope of the independent work. To apply please send a CV, cover letter and transcript of records before July 25th, 2022, to one of the contacts below. Vocal repertoire of Norwegian killer whales (Orcinus orca) Be part of an interdisciplinary team and contribute to a project investigating the vocal repertoire of free-ranging killer whale calls using bioacoustics and machine learning techniques. Keywords: bioacoustics, vocal repertoire, cetaceans, acoustic analyses, vocal communication, behavioural ecology Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Richard Hahnloser: rich@ini.ethc.ch Dr. Jörg Rychen: jrychen@ethz.ch Dr. Kaja Wierucka: kaja.wierucka@uzh.ch