Dolphin Echolocation — Nature's Sonar
Tursiops truncatus
Quick Fact
Dolphins can detect a golf ball-sized object at 100 metres using echolocation — and can 'see' inside other animals, detecting pregnancy and internal injuries.
About This Species
Dolphins produce high-frequency clicks through specialised nasal passages and focus them through a fatty organ in their forehead called the melon. The clicks bounce off objects and return to the dolphin, where they are received through the lower jaw and transmitted to the inner ear. This biological sonar system is so precise that dolphins can detect objects the size of a golf ball at 100 metres, distinguish between different materials, and even 'see' inside other animals — detecting the heartbeat of a pregnant female, for example.
Why It Matters
Ocean noise pollution from shipping and sonar interferes with dolphin echolocation, disrupting hunting, communication, and navigation. Quieter oceans are essential for dolphin welfare.