She was more consistent and precise than any of the humans in the experiment. “A couple of the best humans got close to her, but no human was more consistent than she was on any of the stimuli we gave them,” Cook said.
While rhythm is her claim to fame, Ronan has contributed to various studies in sensory biology, learning, memory, and diving physiology. Over the past 12 years, she participated in roughly 2,000 short rhythm exercises, typically lasting just 10–15 seconds each. Long breaks between sessions, sometimes lasting years, ensure that she isn’t overtrained, Cook said.
“Realistically, if you added up the amount of rhythmic exposure Ronan has had since she’s been with us, it is probably dwarfed by what a typical 1-year-old kid has heard,” Cook said.
Researchers plan to work with more sea lions to test their rhythm perception. “Is there something in the sea lion brain that is related to vocal learning, and could that somehow support rhythm? We’re explicitly testing that,” Cook said, adding that he suspects that other sea lions may also be able to keep a beat, but Ronan is still the top contender.
This latest study added to a growing body of evidence that rhythm perception might not be exclusive to humans or even to animals known for vocal learning. That opens new doors for exploring the roots of music, cognition, and the role of rhythm across species.
“Ronan is a very well-trained animal who does so many different scientific experiments and does training for husbandry and health,” Cook said. “She’s not a typical sea lion.”
