Abstract Understanding cetacean distribution is essential for conservation planning and decision‐making, particularly in regions subject to rapid environmental changes. Nevertheless, information on their spatiotemporal commonly limited, especially from remote areas. Species models (SDMs) are powerful tools, relating species occurrences variables predict the species' potential distribution. This study aims at using presence‐only SDMs (MaxEnt) identify suitable habitats fin whales (...

Abstract Learning can occur via trial and error; however, learning from conspecifics is faster more efficient. Social animals easily learn conspecifics, but how do less social species learn? In particular, birds provide astonishing examples of vocalizations, while vocal much understood in mammals. We present a hypothesis aimed at solving an apparent paradox: harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina ) their song when whole lives are marked by loose conspecific contact? Harbor seal pups raised...

Researchers in animal cognition, psychophysics, and experimental psychology need to randomise the presentation order of trials sessions. In many paradigms, for each trial, one two responses can be correct, ordered such that participant's are a fair assessment their performance. Specifically, some cases, especially low numbers trials, randomised trial orders excluded if they contain simple patterns which participant could accidentally match so succeed at task without learning.We present...

Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are more solitary than many other pinnipeds. Yet, they capable of vocal learning, a form social learning. Most extant literature examines animals when investigating despite sociality not being prerequisite. Here, we report two formerly silent harbor who initiated vocalizations, after having repeatedly observed conspecific receiving food rewards for vocalizing. Our observations suggest both and learning in group captive seals, species that lives semi-solitarily...

Abstract Harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina ) are a common zoo species that show scientifically valuable propensity for vocal learning. Under human care, the can be trained to associate vocalizations with cues. This ability is termed usage learning and characterized by use vocalization in specific context. Among mammals, prime candidates investigate Yet, only handful of reports exist on harbor seal abilities even less document how these were or tested. Here, we how, if, two experimentally naive...

Learning can occur via trial and error; however, learning from conspecifics is faster more efficient. Social animals easily learn conspecifics, but how do less social species learn? In particular, avian provide astonishing examples of vocalizations, while vocal much understood in mammals. We present a hypothesis aimed at solving an apparent paradox: harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) their song when whole lives are marked by loose conspecific contact? Harbor seal pups raised individually mostly...

Multimodal rhythmic signalling abounds across animal taxa. Studying its mechanisms and functions can highlight adaptive components in highly complex behaviours, like dance, music. Pinnipeds, such as the harbour seal (Phoca vitulina), are excellent comparative models to assess capacities. Harbour seals engage percussive behaviours which, until now, have not been described detail. In our study, eight zoo-housed (two pups, two juveniles, four adults) were passively audio-video monitored during...

As collected datasets become larger and computational analyses ever more complex, the efficient processing of bioacoustical data is a crucial problem to tackle. Often, during exploration analysis, different research software packages need be flexibly combined in script. A typical example such multi-faceted workflow extraction acoustic parameters from recording, which are then plotted tested for statistical significance. Parselmouth an open-source Python library Praat, widely used acoustics...