Sperm Whales and Boat Engines
 

Something boat related.
By JEANNETTE J. LEE, Associated Press Writer Fri Mar 3, 9:38 AM ET
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Years ago, the sound of a boat sometimes spelled death
for the heavily hunted sperm whale. Now, some of them have figured out, it
means dinner.
Scientists recently figured out that sperm whales in the Gulf of Alaska zero
in on boat engines to locate miles of fishing lines hung with valuable
sablefish.
"That's the whales' cue," said Jan Straley, an assistant professor at the
University of Alaska Southeast who since 2002 has helped lead the study.