Scientists Discover New Whale Species With Unique Sound in the Indian Ocean
FOLLOW US ON:
We may have missed something colossal that was present here the entire time.
Scientists have recently discovered a previously unknown population of blue whales present in the western Indian Ocean based on analysis of sound recordings from the region, found a
New York Timesreport.
The discovery of the group of whales, described in a paper published in the journal
Endangered Species Research, mentions the species has its own signature anthem. The anthem compromises of a slow, bellowing ballad that’s distinct from any other whale song ever described.
28 DECEMBER 2020
A new type of whale song may very well belong to a previously unknown population of blue whales, peacefully swimming in the Indian Ocean.
The unusual song was picked up at three different underwater locations separated by 3,500 kilometres (2,175 miles) of ocean. First recorded in 2017 off the coast of Madagascar, these unique calls were later identified in the western Arabian Sea, off the coast of Oman, and also in the Chagos Archipelago in the central Indian Ocean.
Before now, this region was thought to harbour just a single population of blue whales (
Balaenoptera musculus), distinguished by its own unique call. Any whales found in this area were simply assumed to be part of that population. But these new sounds didn t match up.
Close
A new population of blue whales was discovered by an international team of researchers in the western Indian Ocean.
In a paper published in the Endangered Species Research journal, the researchers report that the newly reported blue whale song were recorded from Arabian Sea coast of Oman, crossing the Chagos Archipelago in the central Indian Ocean and the Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.
New Blue Whale Song
(Photo : Wikimedia Commons )
Image of a Blue Whale s tail fluke with the Santa Barbara Channel Islands in the background. August 2007.
Blue whales are called the gentle giant of the sea. That have a prominent long, streamlines shape, mottled blue or grey back and a white or pale underbelly. It has that distinct huge heads that are broad, long and with unique U-shaped arch. Blue whales are known for their gigantic size and glide effortlessly through the ocean, making everything else in their path look small.
New Blue Whale Population Discovered After Scientists Hear Unknown Song
Share
New blue whales! (Photo: Ishara S. Kodikara, Getty Images)
To sign up for our daily newsletter covering the latest news, features and reviews, head HERE. For a running feed of all our stories, follow us on Twitter HERE. Or you can bookmark the Gizmodo Australia homepage to visit whenever you need a news fix.
Do you ever hear a new song and realise it’s unlike anything you’ve heard before? I felt that a few times this year, mostly with Phoebe Bridgers and Polo G. It happened to scientists recently, too. But it wasn’t a new singer or rapper they discovered; it’s a new population of whales.
Photo: Ishara S. Kodikara (Getty Images)
Do you ever hear a new song and realize it’s unlike anything you’ve heard before? I felt that a few times this year, mostly with Phoebe Bridgers and Polo G. It happened to scientists recently, too. But it wasn’t a new singer or rapper they discovered; it’s a new population of whales.
Advertisement
In a study published in the journal Endangered Species Research last week, scientists analyzed underwater recordings from the Arabian Sea, extending from the coast of Oman as far south as Madagascar. The team of researchers came across an unfamiliar kind of whale song that had never before been documented in 2017, sparking an international effort to discover the new singer.