Cardigan Bay dolphins may have high-pitch Welsh accent

Dolphins off the Welsh coast have developed their own unique accent, according to researchers and programme-makers.

Their whistles - recorded off Cardigan Bay for the BBC's Wonders of the Celtic Deep programme - were at a frequency higher than any captured elsewhere in the world.

They produce "ultra-high pitches" up to 40kHz, while humans can only hear up to about 20 kHz.

"It could be that the higher frequency whistle makes them stand out more," Laura Palmer, a PhD student at the University of Bristol, told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"Perhaps that's more attractive to potential mates, for example."

She said "perhaps it's too soon" to call it a "Welsh accent", but there were certainly differences to any dolphin whistles recorded elsewhere.

Wonders of the Celtic Deep, episode, 1 was shown on BBC One Wales and is available on BBC iPlayer.