Individual foraging specializations in marine mammals: Culture and ecology

Rendell and Whitehead argue persuasively that individual foraging specializ ations, if socially learned, axe examples of cetacean culture. However, the y, discount ecological variation experienced by individuals within a popula tion as a factor in such behavior. I suggest that ecological variation may play an important role in individual foraging specializations and describe several ecological parameters that may help us understand the high frequenc y of this interesting behavior in the marine habitat.