Bioacoustics Research at UWA was first established in the School of Physics , University of Western Australia in 1995. Bioacoustics is an interdisciplinary subject that studies biological interactions with sound. Bioacoustic researchers are from a wide variety of fields; biology, zoology, physiology, physics, engineering and maths. Humans talking, frogs croaking, birds singing, whales communicating, bats echolocating, acoustic pollution, music perception and medical ultrasonics are all subjects of bioacoustics.

Currently the main focus of bioacoustic research within the School of Physics is establishing a bioacoustic mechanism that may be responsible for live mass cetacean (whale and dolphin) strandings. For more information click here. Otherwise click on the research button at the top to see what else is being investigated.
Stranding of pseudorca crassidens - Gordon Inlet, South Western Australia

Often sound is neglected as a significant contributor to our perception of the world. Some animals only rely on sound to navigate or communicate. By studying the sounds animals create we can further understand their behaviour and their interaction with the environment. Unlike light, sound can travel around objects.  This can help identify animals from a distance, in the dark, or in the ocean and assess our impact on their habitat. 
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