How can killer whales hear where there prey is if their homes are under water?

Killer whales, like many marine mammals, have evolved amazing adaptations for underwater hearing that allow them to locate prey even in the murky depths. Here's how they do it:

1. Specialized Anatomy:

* Large, Fatty Head: Killer whales have a large, bulbous head filled with a thick layer of fat. This fatty tissue acts like a sound lens, focusing sound waves towards their inner ear.

* Melon: Inside their head, they have a structure called the "melon" made of a special kind of fatty tissue. This melon acts as a sound projector, concentrating sound waves to create a beam of sound.

* Inner Ear: Killer whales have a very sensitive inner ear that is exceptionally good at detecting even faint underwater sounds.

2. Echolocation:

* Killer whales use a technique called echolocation to navigate and hunt. They emit clicks and whistles that travel through the water.

* These sounds bounce off objects in the water, including prey, and the echoes return to the whale.

* Their specialized brain can analyze these echoes to determine the size, shape, distance, and even the speed of the target.

3. Sound Sensitivity:

* Killer whales have incredible sound sensitivity. They can detect even the faintest vibrations in the water, including the sounds of their prey's movements, breathing, and even heartbeats.

* This allows them to locate prey even when it's hidden within the ocean floor, behind rocks, or swimming deep in the water.

4. Underwater Sound Propagation:

* Sound travels faster and further underwater than in air. This allows killer whales to use echolocation and hear sounds over long distances.

* The water's properties also help to amplify and focus sounds, making it easier for them to detect prey.

In short, killer whales have evolved a remarkable combination of anatomy, behavior, and sound sensitivity that enables them to "see" their surroundings using sound, even in the darkest depths of the ocean.