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Beluga Whale Echolocation Lab (2D)

A side-view beluga whale lab: the melon organ focuses an echolocation click train, water temperature sets the real speed of sound, and round-trip echo timing is computed live against a target you can move.

Animals & Their World2DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 3D version
2d-beluga-whale-melon-song ↗ Open standalone

This 2D companion strips the 3D pod scene down to the mechanic that actually defines a beluga's head: the melon, a deformable fatty lens on the forehead that contracts and relaxes to steer and focus outgoing echolocation clicks. A side panel drives real acoustic physics — water temperature sets the speed of sound through a simplified Mackenzie-style fit, target distance and beam width determine whether a click train's echo returns inside the beam cone, and round-trip timing is computed from distance and sound speed rather than faked — while the pod keeps swimming, the calf stays close, and ice floes drift by along the surface.

⚙ Under the hood

2D beluga whale lab with a deformable melon-driven echolocation beam, water-temperature-dependent speed of sound, and live round-trip echo timing against a movable target.

beluga whaleecholocationmelon organspeed of soundmarine mammalsacoustic navigation

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install

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