Welsh dolphins have their own accent and speak at a higher frequency than regular dolphins

Welsh dolphins have different accents and ‘speak’ at a higher frequency than regular dolphins, researchers have found.

Experts on the BBC nature series Wonders of the Celtic Deep filmed 240 bottlenose dolphins off Cardigan Bay as part of the programme.

The show, voiced by Dame Sian Phillips, said: “Bottlenose dolphins are highly sociable, the group are in constant communication.

“Each dolphin has its own unique signature whistle and the Cardigan Bay dolphins may have their very own dialect.

“Their whistles are at a higher frequency than those recorded anywhere else in the world.”

Experts have previously discovered the Cardigan Bay dolphins have different sounding whistles to other pods found around the UK.

In 2007 Ronan Hickey analysed 1,882 whistles for his masters degree in marine mammal science at University of Wales, Bangor.

Simon Hartley of Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre, said at the time: “You would expect it – huge studies have been done on killer whales and they have different local dialects, so it doesn’t surprise me.”

About 240 bottlenose dolphins are thought to use Cardigan Bay.