La-la-la. A cutting-edge song is filling the airwaves—or ocean waves rather. For the first time, marine biologists have recorded singing by one of the rarest whales on the planet, the North Pacific right whale.
“God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm.” (Genesis 1:21) God also gave His creatures unique “voices” with which to communicate. Humpback, bowhead, and other whales are known for their songs. But pinning down the song of right whales proved difficult.
During an ocean survey, NOAA researchers first noted weird sound patterns they could not identify. The researchers reviewed long-term data from various recorders—located mostly on ocean buoys—and noticed repeating sound patterns. Seven years of frustration followed, says National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries marine biologist Jessica Crance. Researchers could never positively confirm that the sounds were coming from the scarce right whales.
Finally, the NOAA team heard one of the unusual whale songs in real time from the buoy recorders. Researchers triangulated (determined the location using triangles) the position of the whale making the sounds. From previous surveys and genetic studies, they identified the deep-sea songster as a male right whale.
Only about 30 right whales are known to roam the ocean. They make a variety of sounds. One sounds like a gunshot. They also make upcalls, downcalls, moans, screams, and warbles.
Researchers detected four distinct songs over eight years at five locations in the Bering Sea off Alaska’s southwest coast, Crance says.
Crance calls her team’s documentation of the songs a first. She says, “It was great to finally get the confirmation when we were out at sea.”
(A North Pacific right whale swims in the Bering Sea west of Bristol Bay. Scientists have recorded singing by a rare right whale for the first time. NOAA Fisheries via AP, File)
