It is rare but it happened, I found a news article that was not necessarily devastating to hear or doom inspiring. The article I am talking about is called Humpback Whales Are Singing More: Number of Song Has Doubled as Food Sources Become More Available. The feeling was more encouraging when I saw the name for the source of the article, which is goodnewsnetwork.org. This organization has been providing good news since 1997. This study is important to note because it is an example of humanity performing the seemingly impossible task of communicating with the environment.
Included in this article is a report summary and a link to the research study that found increased variations in the detected songs from three species of baleen whales. This study was funded by The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and an annual grant to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Using hydrophones and Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS), researchers have been recording the acoustics from a 100 km (62.14 miles) section in Monterey Bay since 2015 at an average frequency of 256 HZ. For frequencies ranging from 10HZ to 200kHZ, researchers used an omnidirectional hydrophone called an Ocean Sonics icListen HF.
The three whale species involved in the study were Blue, Humpback, and Fin Whales. Each of these species have different dietary habits with Blue Whales having the most restricted diet. Blue whales mostly just eat krill while the Humpback also focuses on schools of krill it also feeds on anchovies and other small fish. The Fin Whale has the most diverse diet, being known to feed on larger fish and squid. As of recently, the number of songs from Humpback whales has increased in the central California Current Ecosystem (CCE). Using isotope data from Blue Whale and Humpback Whale biopsy samples, scientists conclude that the presence of foraging fish species has also increased.
The main takeaway from this article is described in the title and the second sentence. But there is much more to learn from this study such as marine heat waves, how fast they move and how influential they can be even years after they occur. Simply by listening to the acoustics of the ocean we can gain more insight into how our environment is changing and recognize that the human species might want to change too, as we learn how deeply connected and truly reliant, we are on other species and animals for our own survival.
This is a phenomenal blog post. It’s really intriguing that we can see how the oceans are changing through the vocalizations of whales. Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt's really nice to hear good news about ocean life! I never knew whale songs could tell us so much about the environment. Do whales change their songs based on stress or food availability? Also, how do marine heat waves affect their communication over time? It's amazing how just listening can teach us so much about our oceans!
ReplyDeleteI love hearing good news, especially when it comes to conservation efforts not being in vain. I love whales, and it is so cool that their health and population can be gauged by their voices. As climate change progresses I am hopeful that the scientists that continue to care and push for these efforts can find small successes despite terrible policies.
ReplyDeleteWith all the bad news circulating online it good that we see a different perception. Sharing stories on how wildlife is adapting and thriving despite changes in the environments is great to hear.
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to read a positive blog. Ocean life especially is a topic I enjoy so I was happy to read that whales are experiencing better, more plentiful food sources.
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ReplyDeleteIt’s rare to come across environmental news that is genuinely hopeful, and the idea that Humpback whales are singing more because of improved food availability is a great reminder that positive change is possible.
I'm definitely going to check out goodnewsnetwork.org! Thank you for providing a source for positive media. I think that the idea of listening to whales and the marine ecosystem to determine the changes in the environment would provide super important information that humans cannot conclude themselves.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a feel-good topic and honestly a refreshing story considering most of our posts focus on the negative impacts. It's so interesting to see how this technology works. I listened to the video, and I wonder if these are happy songs or not. They sort of sound like it's distressed. If I were on a boat in the middle of the ocean and heard that I would be terrified.
ReplyDeleteThe article highlights an encouraging development in marine ecology, revealing that increased food availability has led to a doubling of Humpback whale songs, underscoring the interconnectedness of human actions and environmental health while showcasing the potential for positive change in our relationship with nature.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought about the whales, and how the oceans have been changing and that their songs have an impact on the ecosystem that they live in. I am really glad you brought this up, in a time of sad news, we finally get something feel good.
ReplyDeleteThe clip you included of the whale song is incredible! It really is nice to read about good things for a change. Hopefully with more research and knowledge other populations can increase as well!
ReplyDeleteListening is always the key! It's so important that we make our voices loud enough to be heard and takenevent our flutes from becoming as bleak as it's currently predicted. People talk and speak on the matter, but until the audience and legislationstuck in an endless loop until the time passes where we can' seriously to pr listen, we are t ignore the deaths and climate change anymore.
ReplyDeleteThis was very pleasant to read and I am grateful that you chose to share this with us, there is hope in knowing the population of aquatic life is increasing and the ecosystem is becoming better able to sustain the lives that reside within it.
ReplyDeleteThis was a really refreshing article to read. It is always nice to hear about the wins, no matter how small. I feel like appreciating these wins is important, especially in regard with how we discuss and promote climate change as an issue.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post! It is encouraging to read that these magnificent creatures are still able to thrive despite all that is occurring with climate change.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to read something nice once in a while. Thanks, Michael. Do you know if there are any specific reasons that whale food sources have come back?
ReplyDeleteThis is my favorite post I've seen all semester. What's better than recognizing the happiness expressed by an animal so valued and appreciated by many. I'll have to bookmark the good news network.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading the positive blog post, especially after my blog was on oil spills and their effects. Hearing that whales are singing because of food sources was fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThese magnificent creatures are inspiring. In a recent series on Apple TV "Extrapolations" features a scientist communicating with a humpback whale in the second episode using some kind of computer AI program that translates whale "speech." I am curious how possible this would be.
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