Abstract
Studying the behavior of aquatic echolocators and their prey has proved to be challenging. However, recent studies using Dtags on several toothed whale species in the wild have identified sequences of echoes interpreted as stemming from ensonified prey, along with accelerometer signatures possibly indicative of feeding events. The present study aimed at verifying those findings in a controlled environment, and elucidating what echograms may tell us about echolocation behavior during prey capture. We applied DTAG-3 tags, sampling sound at 500 kHz, to trained harbor porpoises during captures of dead and live fish of different species and sizes. To look at details of the feeding events, we used tag-synchronized high-speed underwater cameras. The prey targets gave rise to echoes that could be traced back to ranges of up to five meters and often tracked in the high repetition rate buzzes initiated at short ranges. These buzzes were typically closely tied to distinct acceleration signatures of attempted prey ca...
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