Communication​—Vital to Earth’s Web of Life

WHEN Julie was a baby, her parents eagerly awaited the moment when she would utter her first words. “To hear ‘Mama’ and ‘Dada’ come from a baby’s lips is a thrill that no parent can fully describe,” said Julie’s mother. “When Julie first called me ‘Mama,’ it was as if she were putting her little arms around me and saying: ‘You are my mom. I love you, and I want to talk to you.’ I will always remember that special moment.” Yes, the ability to communicate is truly a precious gift!

Of course, humans are not the only creatures with the ability to communicate. Although governed more by instinct, animals also have some remarkable forms of communication. For example, courting emperor penguins in icy Antarctica go through their annual prewinter ritual of hooting at each other​—but not for fun. The life of each couple’s future chick is involved. How so?

After laying her egg, the female releases it to her mate to incubate in his brood pouch while she goes to sea to feed. About 65 days later, she returns, having waddled and slid on her belly across the ice for up to 100 miles [150 km]. Finding the colony is a miracle in itself, but how does she find her mate and their newly hatched chick among tens of thousands of hooting emperors? During their courtship each bird memorizes the other’s songs so well that even after months of separation, they manage to find each other!

In addition to a phenomenal variety of sounds, animal communication includes gestures, attention-grabbing colors, flashing lights, and complex scents. And incredible though it may seem, even plants can communicate with one another and with certain animals, as we shall see. Yes, communication truly is vital to earth’s highly interdependent and intricate web of life.

Do you want to learn more about some of the amazing forms of communication in the world around us? And would you like to enhance your appreciation for your own communication skills and even improve these? The following articles may help you.

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How does a female emperor penguin find her mate?