In some cases, they comb the water for clues.
Whales shed flakes of dead skin, especially when they leap and dive.
Scientists at Nova Scotia s Dalhousie University collect the deep-sea dandruff. By studying it, they can tell which whales in a group are members of the same family. It s nice to study animals without bothering them, says Dr. Hal Whitehead. But for some, certain sounds are just a way of staying alive. When a snake strikes, some frogs let out a loud call.