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Monday, November 23, 2009

Photo: Killer Whale Barked Like Sea Lion, Tapes Reveal


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Luna, a killer whale that gained celebrity after taking up residence near a Canadian fishing village, is seen here interacting with a boat. Luna spent quite a bit of his time like this, as resident orcas are very social.

Luna met an untimely death in March after colliding with a tugboat, but he has left an important scientific legacy. An analysis of his underwater calls confirms that he barked like a sea lion and mimicked other noises, showing that killer whales possess the rare ability to learn and produce new sounds.

Photograph by Rachael Griffin