Decreased echolocation frequency and performance following hearing loss in the false killer whale ( Pseudorca crassidens )

Dr. Paul Nachtigall was my advisor when I was a graduate student at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa from 2007–2012. My dissertation, titled “Dynamics of echolocation in odontocetes,” focused primarily on the extraordinary echolocation of Kina, a false killer whale. By replicating earlier experiments conducted by Paul and Dr. Bob Gisiner, we demonstrated that Kina’s high frequency hearing loss led to measurable changes in her emitted echolocation signals, along with a decline in her discrimination performance. This presentation summarizes key findings from these experiments, highlighting the dynamic relationship between hearing and biosonar signal production in odontocetes.