Echolocation is a biological sonar used by some animal species like bats, whales, and dolphins to locate objects. These animals emit calls that bounce off objects and return echoes, which they use to identify the location and shape of surrounding objects. Echolocation allows animals to navigate, forage, and hunt even in dark environments by interpreting the echoes of emitted sounds. Scientists also study echolocation to understand how animals use sound waves to perceive their surroundings.

1. Echolocation
Echolocation, also called bio sonar, is a biological sonar used by several animal species. Echolocating
animals emit calls out to the environment and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various
objects near them. They use these echoes to locate and identify the objects.
Animals showing echolocation
Humans and most other animals see using light waves. Light reflects off the objects around you and
reaches your eye, which provides information about the world around you. Sound waves can be used in
exactly the same way to "see." Some animals use echo’s -- sound waves reflected off objects in their path
to navigate and find food at night or in dark locations such as caves. This is known as echolocation.
1. Bats
2. Whales and Dolphins
3. Oilbirds and Swiftlets
4. Shrews
5. Humans
Uses ofecholocation
Active echolocation can provide sensory benefits to people who are totally blind
1. Increased ability to move in unfamiliar places
2. Avoiding obstacles at head height
3. Echolocation is used for navigation, foraging, and hunting in various environments
Advantages ofEcholocation
Detect size, shape, distance for hunting and orientation. Ability to roost away from vision-orienting
predators. Opens up an enormous feeding niche. Insects flying at night are nearly invisible to vision-
oriented predators. Most prey cannot hear you
Disadvantages ofEcholocation
Calling all the time announces your presence. (But a benefit to biologists.) Radar-detector syndrome:
Information leakage - some insects have co-evolved ways to detect bat calls.
Howdo scientist use echolocation?
When these sound waves bump into an object, they bounce off it. To use echolocation, animals first make
a sound. Then, they listen for the echoes from the sound waves bouncing off objects in their surroundings.
The animal's brain can make sense of the sounds and echoes to navigate or find prey.
Echolocation Summary
When these sound waves bump into an object, they bounce off it. To use echolocation, animals first make
a sound. Then, they listen for the echoes from the sound waves bouncing off objects in their surroundings.
The animal's brain can make sense of the sounds and echoes to navigate or find prey.