Ever Wonder Why Whales Sing? [Video]

As divers we can all remember the first time we heard the sound of  a whale’s song. Here is some insight into why.

Marine mammals often rely on sounds as a means of communicating. Sound travels four times faster in water than air.  The sound of  whales singing or vocalizations are among the most famous and instantly recognized of all the underwater vocalizations.

Whale songs are failry complex.  Only a few species of whales are known to sing.  They include the Blue, Fin , Humpback, Bowhead and Minke whales.  These are all baleen whales.

A humpback whale was recorded singing for 22 hrs.  It has been found that its mostly the males that are singing and this is during mating season. therefore, it is believed that they are singing  for territorial reasons or to attract mates.

Each discrete population has its own unique song.  For whatever reason, these songs have been found to change over time.

The increased noise pollutio created by us in the oceans has been proven to interfere with whale’s communication. In some cases even decreasing the amount of whale vocalizations.

Watch thf ollowing highly informative video below  for more details about how whales vocalize.

Images Source: YouTube Clips

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