While you’re diving, any sound outside of the gentle noises of your own breathing can be startling; a ghostly cry from a distance can be a thrill. Whales communicate over long distances by singing a variety of songs. When they’re nearby, you may hear the echoes of their songs reverberating from nearby walls, and in some cases, you may even be able to feel the songs vibrating through your body.
Singing Whales
Many cetaceans vocalize, and while some use clicking sequences and short squeaks to communicate, others sing long, complicated songs. Humpback Whales, which can be found all over the world, are the most notable composers. In the 1960’s, a pair of scientists named Roger Payne and Scott McVey began researching humpback vocalizations. Today, we know that humpbacks sing in feeding, mating and nursery areas, and it has been discovered that low frequency whale songs can travel across entire ocean basins – in one instance, sound traveled all the way from the coast of Virginia to Norway.
Humpback whales sing a variety of themes with repetitive phrases. A single song can last anywhere from a few minutes to more than half an hour, and in some cases, whales will sing for long stretches that last hours or even days. Humpbacks from the same population tend to sing the same songs as one another, with tones that range from high pitched whistles to baritone grunts.
Bowhead whales, which can live to be about 200 years old, and which were once on the brink of extinction, are rarely encountered. Traveling mostly through northern waters, these whales create complicated songs, changing their tunes frequently, particularly during the mating season. Smooth, with changes in pitch and tone, these songs are mesmerizing. If you are lucky enough to hear this species vocalizing while you’re diving, you will feel the sound waves surrounding you even if the whales are miles away.
Fin Whales and Blue whales sing uncomplicated songs, primarily on a low frequency that is hard for us to hear. Lasting between one and two seconds per sound, these songs sound like a loud heartbeat. They occur in sequences that last between 7 and 15 minutes. At times, Fin whales will sing for days on end, and occasionally, Blue whales will sing songs that are easier for people to hear. Although these sounds are simpler than the vocalizations made by humpback or bowhead whales, they are just as haunting.
Minke whales sing long, bubbly sounding songs at a moderate pitch that is easy for us to pick up. Often encountered in the Pacific ocean and found in northern climes as well, these songs sound joyful and will bring a smile to your face.
Whales do not have to expel air in order to sing; instead, they recycle it. Toothed whales sing differently than baleen whales; they make lots of clicks and whistles that seem to be used primarily for echolocation. They make a wide variety of different noises, sometimes chattering for long periods of time.
Thanks to careful conservation, whale populations are slowly increasing in many parts of the world, with the humpback whales and southern right whales having made it to IUCN’s list of least concern species. Overall though, nearly 25% of cetacean species are listed as threatened, and of those, nine species are close to extinction. Even though there is much less commercial whale hunting now than once occurred, whales are threatened by habitat and prey loss, climate change, accidental bycatch and boat strikes, and even by military sonar, which is thought to have caused mass strandings by causing confusion. By increasing our knowledge, providing education, and doing what’s best for the planet, we can help to preserve these magnificent creatures, enabling them to share their songs with future generations.