What is lost when we lose a whale culture? Shane Gero shares stories from thousands of hours spent in the company of sperm whales. In this hauntingly powerful talk, he details how similar their lives are to our own and how their cultures define their identity, just as ours do. Shane chronicles how their families and cultures are at risk, how our lives impact theirs, along with why preserving cultural diversity is important in our societies and the ecosystem.
 
Shane Gero is an assistant professor in the Marine Bioacoustics Lab at Aarhus University and the founder of The Dominica Sperm Whale Project. The DSWP has been tracking over 20 families of sperm whales in the Caribbean Sea since 2005.
 
Shane’s research is motivated by a desire to understand animal societies, how and why they form, and, by necessity, what happens when they fall apart. Shane is passionate about communicating his science and the whales’ stories to a wide audience. He has given dozens of public talks including those at The Canadian National Museum of Nature in Ottawa, the New England Aquarium in Boston, and the Interacting Minds Center in Denmark. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Motherboard Magazine, and all over Wikipedia; and his research has been featured in numerous magazines including National Geographic, WIRED, National Wildlife, New Scientist; on various radio shows and podcasts, and on TV in The Nature of Things and in two BBC miniseries including Blue Planet II.
 
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Shane Gero: The lost cultures of whales | Shane Gero | TEDxOttawa

The lost cultures of whales | Shane Gero | TEDxOttawa

Whale cultures, rich in tradition and dialects, face existential threats from human activities, challenging our coexistence.

Sperm whales, with distinct dialects and cultures, navigate the ocean's vast darkness, relying on community for survival.

The decline of sperm whale populations poses a critical loss of cultural knowledge and diversity, vital for ecosystem balance.