Did You Know that Baby Humpback Whales Can Whisper?
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Fredrik Christiansen/Functional EcologyA mother and calf humpback whale.
Baby humpback whales can talk! Well, “technically whisper” to their mothers, according to a recent report published in the journal Functional Ecology. The scientific findings were later discussed on NPR.
Simone Videsen — a professor at Aarhus University in Denmark — and her colleagues were able to track eight baby whales using sound recorders. The recorders stuck to the whales skin using suction cups. "It can stay there for about a day and then it falls off," Videsen says.
This team of researchers found that baby whales are most likely to whisper when they are swimming. It's just speculation, but the thought is that maybe these sounds help mothers keep track of their young in murky waters.
There is still much mystery surrounding the lives and travels of humpback whale calves and their mothers but for now we are excited to learn just a little more about these amazing mammals.
Not convinced they can whisper? Listen to the recording below to hear for yourself!