Anna Selbmann
@annaselbmann.bsky.social
Research Specialist at Suðurnes Science and Learning Center | Bioacoustics 🎶 | Whales 🐳 | Behavioural ecology | Interspecific interactions | Open for collaboration 🤓
None that we know of - that is part of why these interactions are so puzzling and interesting. We have never observed physical contact between the two species.
February 6, 2026 at 9:50 AM
None that we know of - that is part of why these interactions are so puzzling and interesting. We have never observed physical contact between the two species.
Thanks to my co-authors @fipsamarra.bsky.social, Lucie Barluet de Beauchesne, Tatiana Marchon, @ellenlhayward.bsky.social, Jörundur Svavarsson, Patrick Miller, Paul Wensveen, and Charlotte Curé for all their support in getting this study done!
February 3, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Thanks to my co-authors @fipsamarra.bsky.social, Lucie Barluet de Beauchesne, Tatiana Marchon, @ellenlhayward.bsky.social, Jörundur Svavarsson, Patrick Miller, Paul Wensveen, and Charlotte Curé for all their support in getting this study done!
This study provides information on how a top predator responds to a potential threat (which has useful applications for human impact assessments) and together with previous work shows that interspecific interactions between cetaceans can be acoustically mediated in both directions. 🐳🔈🐋🤓
February 3, 2026 at 2:02 PM
This study provides information on how a top predator responds to a potential threat (which has useful applications for human impact assessments) and together with previous work shows that interspecific interactions between cetaceans can be acoustically mediated in both directions. 🐳🔈🐋🤓
Together these results show a clear avoidance response of the killer whales to the sounds of long-finned pilot whales.
📷 Katarína Klementisová, Curt Hanson
📷 Katarína Klementisová, Curt Hanson
February 3, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Together these results show a clear avoidance response of the killer whales to the sounds of long-finned pilot whales.
📷 Katarína Klementisová, Curt Hanson
📷 Katarína Klementisová, Curt Hanson
And group members moved closer together and moved in a more aligned way.
February 3, 2026 at 2:02 PM
And group members moved closer together and moved in a more aligned way.
They often initially increased their calling rate, followed by a clear decrease.
February 3, 2026 at 2:02 PM
They often initially increased their calling rate, followed by a clear decrease.
Killer whales responded to pilot whale sounds by switching to a travelling behaviour, increasing speed and moving away from the sound source.
February 3, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Killer whales responded to pilot whale sounds by switching to a travelling behaviour, increasing speed and moving away from the sound source.
We conducted playback experiments to tagged killer whales. We played sounds of long-finned pilot whales and a noise control. Killer whale responses were investigated using a state-dependent model, as well as GEEs to test horizontal movement, acoustic, and group-level responses.
📷 Tatiana Marchon
📷 Tatiana Marchon
February 3, 2026 at 2:02 PM
We conducted playback experiments to tagged killer whales. We played sounds of long-finned pilot whales and a noise control. Killer whale responses were investigated using a state-dependent model, as well as GEEs to test horizontal movement, acoustic, and group-level responses.
📷 Tatiana Marchon
📷 Tatiana Marchon
But how does the mobbed species, i.e. the killer whale respond?
February 3, 2026 at 2:02 PM
But how does the mobbed species, i.e. the killer whale respond?
Pilot whales are known to exhibit a mobbing-like behaviour towards killer whales. Acoustic signals are important in mobbing behaviours. Previous studies have shown that pilot whales are attracted to the sounds of killer whales and increase their vocalisation in response.
Listen to an example 🔈🎧⬆️
Listen to an example 🔈🎧⬆️
February 3, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Pilot whales are known to exhibit a mobbing-like behaviour towards killer whales. Acoustic signals are important in mobbing behaviours. Previous studies have shown that pilot whales are attracted to the sounds of killer whales and increase their vocalisation in response.
Listen to an example 🔈🎧⬆️
Listen to an example 🔈🎧⬆️
A top predator on the run! New paper on aversive responses of killer whales to the sounds of long-finned pilot whales – out now in Scientific reports – open access: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Below a short summary of the main results.
🔈🐳🤓
#bioacoustics #MarineMammals #whales
Below a short summary of the main results.
🔈🐳🤓
#bioacoustics #MarineMammals #whales
Aversive behavioural responses of killer whales to sounds of long-finned pilot whales - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Aversive behavioural responses of killer whales to sounds of long-finned pilot whales
www.nature.com
February 3, 2026 at 2:02 PM
A top predator on the run! New paper on aversive responses of killer whales to the sounds of long-finned pilot whales – out now in Scientific reports – open access: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Below a short summary of the main results.
🔈🐳🤓
#bioacoustics #MarineMammals #whales
Below a short summary of the main results.
🔈🐳🤓
#bioacoustics #MarineMammals #whales
Reposted by Anna Selbmann
A killer whale PostDoc! 🤯😍
We are hiring - PDRA position exploring how information access shapes social dynamics in killer whales. Collaboration with @samellisq.bsky.social @drwhale.bsky.social Prof Dan Franks (York) start 1st Nov (or ASAP) end 31st Oct 2028. Apps close on 19th Oct.
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
September 23, 2025 at 8:36 PM
A killer whale PostDoc! 🤯😍
Reposted by Anna Selbmann
🔊 This the season! Looking or two MSc students to tackle
1. vocal efficiency across pipit species
and, surpsingly,
2. vocal tract anatomy of the great cormorant (bonus: I also have the heads to model hearing!)
Drop me a line! I love people! :)
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
1. vocal efficiency across pipit species
and, surpsingly,
2. vocal tract anatomy of the great cormorant (bonus: I also have the heads to model hearing!)
Drop me a line! I love people! :)
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
MSc project
MSc thesis projects in animal communication Laws of brevity across pipit (Anthus) species Across many human languages, there are several general principles in temporal patterning: most frequent word...
docs.google.com
September 15, 2025 at 12:09 PM
🔊 This the season! Looking or two MSc students to tackle
1. vocal efficiency across pipit species
and, surpsingly,
2. vocal tract anatomy of the great cormorant (bonus: I also have the heads to model hearing!)
Drop me a line! I love people! :)
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
1. vocal efficiency across pipit species
and, surpsingly,
2. vocal tract anatomy of the great cormorant (bonus: I also have the heads to model hearing!)
Drop me a line! I love people! :)
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Can you add me? 🙂
July 23, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Can you add me? 🙂
Looks like some cool postdoc options here - including one on "Acoustic possibilities for Southern Ocean management dilemmas" 🎧🌊🚢🐳
#bioacoustics #MarineMammals
#bioacoustics #MarineMammals
The call for our 2026 Postdoc Cohort is now open. We offer 4 full-time positions. Apply until August 24th. hifmb.de/jobs
Please spread the word.
#postdoc #jobsinscience #marinebiodiversity #antarctica
@awi.de @hillebr1.bsky.social @ibaums.bsky.social @thilogross.bsky.social @merenbey.bsky.social 🦑
Please spread the word.
#postdoc #jobsinscience #marinebiodiversity #antarctica
@awi.de @hillebr1.bsky.social @ibaums.bsky.social @thilogross.bsky.social @merenbey.bsky.social 🦑
June 23, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Looks like some cool postdoc options here - including one on "Acoustic possibilities for Southern Ocean management dilemmas" 🎧🌊🚢🐳
#bioacoustics #MarineMammals
#bioacoustics #MarineMammals
Thanks Bettina! Who would have thought that there is such a big overlap between marine mammal scientists and Asterix lovers! 🤓🐳
May 15, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Thanks Bettina! Who would have thought that there is such a big overlap between marine mammal scientists and Asterix lovers! 🤓🐳
Thanks Andrew! And nice to meet you today!
May 15, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Thanks Andrew! And nice to meet you today!
Thanks to @cherinebaumgartner.bsky.social for putting all of this together! And to Heleen Middel, @jnschulze.bsky.social, Giulia Bellon and @fipsamarra.bsky.social for the great collaboration and fun we had on this!
April 25, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Thanks to @cherinebaumgartner.bsky.social for putting all of this together! And to Heleen Middel, @jnschulze.bsky.social, Giulia Bellon and @fipsamarra.bsky.social for the great collaboration and fun we had on this!
So, what is going on? Play? Practice hunting? Caregiving? We did not observe either interaction from start to end, so we can only speculate 🤷 But, as scientists, we love a good puzzle, so we’ll keep investigating! 🕵️♀️
April 25, 2025 at 9:51 AM
So, what is going on? Play? Practice hunting? Caregiving? We did not observe either interaction from start to end, so we can only speculate 🤷 But, as scientists, we love a good puzzle, so we’ll keep investigating! 🕵️♀️
The pilot whale calves were seen in echelon position, but also swimming away from the killer whales, and even being lifted out of the water. You can read all about it in our new publication: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Interactions Between Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) and Neonate Long‐Finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala melas) off South Iceland
This study documents two encounters off south Iceland where neonate pilot whales were observed in the company of killer whale groups, with no other pilot whales in the vicinity. The interactions invo...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
April 25, 2025 at 9:51 AM
The pilot whale calves were seen in echelon position, but also swimming away from the killer whales, and even being lifted out of the water. You can read all about it in our new publication: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Two weeks after the paper came out, we had a puzzling encounter with a group of killer whales that swam with a pilot whale calf 🤯 No other pilot whales were seen. And then, almost exactly a year later we observed another, different group of killer whales again with a pilot whale calf 🤯🤯🤯
April 25, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Two weeks after the paper came out, we had a puzzling encounter with a group of killer whales that swam with a pilot whale calf 🤯 No other pilot whales were seen. And then, almost exactly a year later we observed another, different group of killer whales again with a pilot whale calf 🤯🤯🤯
In 2022 we published a paper describing interactions between pilot whales and killer whales in Icelandic waters. In all interactions, the pilot whales approached the killer whales and the killer whales avoided the pilot whales, sometimes in high speed chases.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Occurrence of long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) and killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Icelandic coastal waters and their interspecific interactions - acta ethologica
Long-finned pilot whales and killer whales are widely distributed across the North Atlantic, but few studies have reported their occurrence in Icelandic coastal waters. Here, we use sightings data fro...
link.springer.com
April 25, 2025 at 9:51 AM
In 2022 we published a paper describing interactions between pilot whales and killer whales in Icelandic waters. In all interactions, the pilot whales approached the killer whales and the killer whales avoided the pilot whales, sometimes in high speed chases.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Pilot whales and killer whales – it get’s weirder! 🐳🤓
#MarineMammals
#MarineMammals
New paper about unusual encounters in Icelandic waters…
In June 2022 and 2023, neonate pilot whales were observed swimming alone among groups of killer whales off south Iceland - with no other pilot whales in sight.
🧶⬇️
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
In June 2022 and 2023, neonate pilot whales were observed swimming alone among groups of killer whales off south Iceland - with no other pilot whales in sight.
🧶⬇️
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Interactions Between Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) and Neonate Long‐Finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala melas) off South Iceland
This study documents two encounters off south Iceland where neonate pilot whales were observed in the company of killer whale groups, with no other pilot whales in the vicinity. The interactions invo...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
April 25, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Pilot whales and killer whales – it get’s weirder! 🐳🤓
#MarineMammals
#MarineMammals