Anecdotal observations of socially learned vocalizations in harbor seals (2024)

Duengen, D., Polotzek, M., O'Sullivan, E. et al.

Abstract

Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are more solitary than many other pinnipeds. Yet, they are capable of vocal learning, a form of social learning. Most extant literature examines social animals when investigating social learning, despite sociality not being a prerequisite. Here, we report two formerly silent harbor seals who initiated vocalizations, after having repeatedly observed a conspecific receiving food rewards for vocalizing. Our observations suggest both social and vocal learning in a group of captive harbor seals, a species that lives semi-solitarily in the wild. We propose that, in this case, social learning acted as a shortcut to acquiring food rewards compared to the comparatively costly asocial learning.