Here's how it works:
* Emitting Sounds: The animal emits sounds, often high-pitched clicks or whistles.
* Sound Reflection: These sounds travel out and bounce off objects in the environment.
* Interpreting Echoes: The animal receives the reflected sound waves (echoes), which provide information about the object's size, shape, distance, and even texture.
Examples of animals that use echolocation:
* Bats: Use echolocation to navigate in the dark and hunt for insects.
* Dolphins: Use echolocation to navigate, find food, and communicate.
* Whales: Use echolocation for similar purposes as dolphins.
* Shrews: Some shrews use echolocation to find insects and other prey in their burrows.
Echolocation is a remarkable adaptation that allows animals to "see" with sound, even in complete darkness.