At the Sócrates pub in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Olivia Marín Delgado, a PhD student with the Whale Research Group at the University of La Laguna, will speak about the acoustic navigation and hunting behaviour of marine mammals. The focus will be on sperm whales and other species which, in the dim depths of the ocean, use sound as a form of natural radar to navigate and find food.
The talk also addresses the consequences of human activities. Underwater noise and heavy shipping traffic can disrupt these animals' hunting and threaten their survival. This is particularly relevant in the Canary Islands, as many of these species live in areas close to busy shipping routes.
The talk will also cover new technical possibilities in research and for the protection of these animals. Thermal imaging cameras combined with artificial intelligence could detect whales from ships in real time, thereby helping to prevent collisions. Olivia Marín Delgado is conducting research into thermal and acoustic detection to study the behaviour of deep-diving whales such as sperm whales and pilot whales.
Luis Javier Capote Pérez will chair the event. The evening will run from 20:00 to 22:00. Admission is free, but registration is required. The University of La Laguna will issue a certificate of attendance to registered participants.