The Arabian Sea was targeted by illegal Soviet whaling in the 1960’s, an activity that nearly eradicated what were already likely to be small populations of humpback whales, blue whales, sperm whales, and Bryde’s whales. So when scientists were able to pick up a novel blue whale tune, it was "quite remarkable," says Salvatore Cerchio, director of the African Aquatic Conservation Fund's Cetacean Program and co-author of a new study in the journal Endangered Species Research. 3,339 whales, including 1,294 blue whales, 954 sperm whales, 849 brydewhales and 242 humpback whales. Smithsonian Institution, (Robert Baldwin/Environment Society of Oman), Back in 2017, researchers were recording the chatter of, Stretching up to 110 feet and weighing up to 150 tons, blue whales swim through all of the world’s major oceans, with the exception of the Arctic. “Most of what scientists do is look at what has been reported before and ask more questions. The largest known animal to ever exist on Earth, the blue whale also has a robust call that can be heard from up to 600 miles away. With a mighty presence like this, it’s hard to believe that an entire population could somehow have maintained their privacy tucked away in the Indian Ocean. These mammoth creatures produce intense, low frequency vocalizations that can, So when scientists were able to pick up a novel blue whale tune, it was "quite remarkable,", The team does not have genetic data to support its findings, but because blue whale melodies are unique to specific populations, these cetacean songs have, “It’s like hearing different songs within a genre—Stevie Ray Vaughan versus B. 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Timing of presence off Oman suggested that intensive illegal Soviet whaling that took 1294 blue whales in the 1960s likely targeted this population, as opposed to the more widely distributed ‘Sri Lanka’ acoustic population as … As Earther’s Dharna Noor points out, the discovery of a new blue whale population comes as good news for the species, which was once aggressively hunted for its oil and remains endangered today. As result, the operations were kept quiet and it was not until 1996 . that the truth was revealed. MUSCAT : An international team of researchers has discovered what it believes to be a new population of blue whales in the Western Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea and the Coast of Oman.This came as part of a research effort initially focused on the highly endangered Arabian Sea humpback whale, with ongoing collaboration between the Environment Society of Oman, New … California Do Not Sell My Info This … At the same time it became clear that Soviet whales had falsified BOSTON, MASS. But the vocalizations recorded nearly four years ago had never been heard before, leading scientists to conclude that they had discovered an entirely new population of blue whales. Back in 2017, researchers were recording the chatter of Omura’s whales off the coast of Madagascar when they picked up the powerful song of another species: the blue whale, the largest animal to ever live on the planet and one of the loudest. This area was more complex and more going on here that was going on before.”. And yet—in spite of their gargantuan size, wide distribution and loquaciousness—blue whales are elusive animals. Experts detected the song in the north-western Indian ocean and Arabian Sea This region was hit very hard,” Cerchio says. Keep up-to-date on: © 2021 Smithsonian Magazine. “The other key part of this is that the research is in areas that are remote and have not been the focus of research for very long — most of the coast of Africa,” Cerchio points out. “This one was a new one. Blue whales had previously been documented in this area of the western Indian Ocean and they are known to be talkative creatures, with each population emitting unique songs. Conservation Status and Threats, Overfishing Has Caused Shark, Ray Population to Plummet by 71%, The Birds We've Lost: 10 Incredible Avian Species That Are Gone Forever, 10 Illuminating Facts About Great White Sharks, Blue Whales Return to South Georgia After Facing Near Extinction. Robert Baldwin / Environment Society of Oman. Credit: Robert Baldwin/Environment Society of Oman or The final tally from the Arabian Sea was . ASWN members include representatives of large international NGOs like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF – with offices in Pakistan, India and the UAE) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), as well as grass-roots environmental organizations like the […] Brigit Katz is a freelance writer based in Toronto. 16. The Arabian Sea was targeted by illegal Soviet whaling in the 1960’s, an activity that nearly eradicated what were already likely to be small populations of humpback whales, blue whales, sperm whales and Bryde’s whales. “People knew there were blue whales in this area. potential affinity for the northern IO/Arabian Sea, and only minor presence in the southwestern IO. It is possible that this group had been conflated with another population, but it may have gone entirely undetected until Cerchio and his fellow researchers recorded its signature song. Get the best of Smithsonian magazine by email. The Arabian Sea was where much illegal whaling was done by Soviet nations in the 1960s, an activity which nearly eradicated what were already likely to be small populations of humpback whales, … Her work has appeared in a number of publications, including NYmag.com, Flavorwire and Tina Brown Media's Women in the World. Blue whales have been protected by the IWC since 1966 and some populations are recovering. CREDIT: Robert Baldwin/Environment Society of … 24, 2014, pp. The group’s identification also highlights how much of ocean life—even when it comes to the largest sea creatures—has yet to be discovered. This came as part of a research effort initially focused on the highly endangered Arabian Sea humpback whale, with ongoing collaboration between the Environment Society of Oman, New … Blue whales had previously been documented in this area of the western Indian Ocean and they are known to be talkative creatures, with each population emitting unique songs. "Blue Whale Population Structure Along The Eastern South Pacific Ocean: Evidence Of More Than One Population." The whale is a member of a highly endangered population of humpback whales who reside year-round in the Arabian Sea. (December 21, 2020) – An international team of researchers has discovered what it believes to be a new population of blue whales in the western Indian Ocean. DOI: 10.3354/esr01096. Where Are Earth's Largest Nature Reserves? It was always assumed that these were the same whales that were in other parts of the Indian Ocean, Cerchio says. Mary Jo DiLonardo covers a wide range of topics focused on nature, health, science, and anything that helps make the world a better place. The Arabian Sea was a prime target … The Arabian Sea Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus arabica): A New Subspecies from the Arabian Sea by Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf - issuu. B. King,” Cerchio tells the Times. Male Fin Whales Spread Their Songs Across the Sea, Antarctic Blue Whales Make 'Unprecedented' Comeback, 'Spectacular' New Orange-Colored Bat Discovered in West Africa, A Blue Whale's Heart May Only Beat Twice Per Minute When Diving for Food, More Than 100 New Species Found in Newly Discovered Bermuda Ocean Zone. 23, no. In some ways, this wasn’t surprising. The team does not have genetic data to support its findings, but because blue whale melodies are unique to specific populations, these cetacean songs have been used to identify different groups. While blue whale songs have been “extensively studied,” only around a dozen distinct ditties have ever been documented, according to Katherine J. Wu of the New York Times. A new type of whale song may very well belong to a previously unknown population of blue whales, peacefully swimming in the Indian Ocean. Give a Gift. Molecular Ecology, vol. “There was illegal hunting by soviets in the ‘60s long after there were moratoriums. Weighing up to 380,000 pounds and stretching some 100 feet long, the blue whale — the largest creature to have ever lived on Earth — might at first seem difficult for human eyes and ears to … In a huge discovery, scientists have found evidence of a previously undiscovered population of blue whales living in the western Indian ocean The discovery sheds light on the global distribution of the largest animals to have ever lived on the Earth In a recently published study in the journal Endangered Species Research, the scientists analysed recordings from the Arabian Sea … Why Are Blue Whales Changing the Frequency of Their Songs? Continue Spatiotemporal variation suggested a distribution west of 70°E, with potential affinity for the northern IO/Arabian Sea, and only minor presence in the southwestern IO. A Northwest Indian Ocean blue whale flukes up for a dive off the Arabian Sea coast of Oman. Previously unknown population of blue whales living in the Indian Ocean is identified by scientists from its unique song. The Arabian Sea Whale Network (ASWN) collaborates to conserve humpback whales and other cetaceans in the Arabian Sea. 'Jackpot' of Rare, Mysterious Whales Found, 12 Facts You May Not Know About Humpback Whales, The Biggest Threats to Endangered Dolphin Species, Are Orcas Endangered? "With all that work on blue whale songs, to think there was a population out there that no one knew about until 2017, well, it kind of blows your mind," Cerchio says. Ukraina. Blue Whale Population Structure Along The Eastern South Pacific Ocean: Evidence Of More Than One Population, A New Blue Whale Song-Type Described for the Arabian Sea and Western Indian Ocean. 17th Annual Photo Contest Finalists Announced. They described them by their unique melody in a new study in the journal Endangered Species Research. spend little time at the surface of the water, Storms Reveal Two Historic Shipwrecks on England's Eastern Coast, Women Dominated Beer Brewing Until They Were Accused of Being Witches, How Scientist Jennifer Doudna Is Leading the Next Technological Revolution, Contractors Discover Forgotten Medieval Tunnel Beneath Welsh Garden, The Distinctive ‘Habsburg Jaw’ Was Likely the Result of the Royal Family’s Inbreeding. Blue whale songs have been studied extensively throughout the world and several populations have been identified in the Indian Ocean due to their distinctive songs. Soon, Cerchio and his investigators had found that the same song had been recorded at another site off the coast of Oman, in the Arabian Sea. Later, researchers from Australia reported the same tune off the Chagos Archipelago in the central Indian Ocean.. They spend little time at the surface of the water, for one, and their numbers have been severely depleted by past decades of whaling. ‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬. This is the real consequence of the work.”, Torres-Florez, J. P., et al. Endangered Species Research, vol. I had been researching blue whales off of Madagascar with passive acoustics. The discovery, he says, was quite remarkable. Haley Mast is a writer, fact checker, and conservationist with a certification in sustainability. Some of the biggest individuals may eat up to 6 tons of krill in 1 day. Blue whale, (Balaenoptera musculus), also called sulfur-bottom whale, the most massive animal ever to have lived, a species of baleen whale that weighs approximately 150 tons and may attain a length of more than 30 metres (98 feet). Cookie Policy They went to the Arabian Sea and just swept it of whales: humpback, blue whales, sperm whales. Scientists have found evidence of a previously undiscovered population of blue whales living in the western Indian ocean based on an analysis of … After the team reported their findings, word spread to other researchers who were also doing acoustic research on blue whales. Fish and copepods (tiny crustaceans) may occasionally be part of the blue wh… Vote Now! Now, a new cohort had entered the picture. A pattern of the whales’ movement started to emerge, with the animals possibly favoring the northern Indian Ocean, the study authors write. Advertising Notice These mammoth creatures produce intense, low frequency vocalizations that can travel more than 600 miles underwater, allowing them to communicate across vast distances. Image: A Northwest Indian Ocean blue whale flukes up for a dive off the Arabian Sea coast of Oman. “There was illegal hunting by soviets in the ‘60s long after there were moratoriums. The song was heard from the Arabian Sea coast to … When we started looking at records, there weren't two song types, there were four,” Cerchio tells Treehugger. The researchers behind the paper recorded a novel blue whale song and verified it in the western Indian Ocean. Privacy Statement Blue whales are the largest animals ever to live on our planet. "With all that work on blue whale songs, to think there was a population out there that no one knew about until 2017,” says Cerchio, “well, it kind of blows your mind.". He realized it was a blue whale song that had never been described before. It’s very satisfying.”. Researchers compared data from all three sites and the analysis suggested that it was likely a distinct population. The group likely spends its time in the northwestern Indian Ocean, in the Arabian Sea, and to the west of the Chagos. 5998-6010, doi:10.1111/mec.12990, Cerchio, S., et al. Given that it went unnoticed for so long, the new whale population is probably small and “in critical need of status assessment and conservation action,” according to the study authors. Terms of Use Researchers had speculated that blue whales there belonged to another population observed off the coast of Sri Lanka, but now they were able to give this group a unique identification. Since it is the only blue whale song identified by them in the western Arabian Sea, researchers have called it the “Northwest Indian Ocean”. The primary and preferred diet of blue whales is krilltiny shrimp-like animals. Cerchio suggests that the discovery also has very important implications for the conservation of the species. The blue whale populations were reportedly on the verge of extinction around the globe during the 20th century. ... Madagascar and Oman's Arabian Sea coast. 43, 2020, pp. Muscat: An international team of researchers has discovered what it believes to be a new population of blue whales in the Western Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea and the Coast of Oman. CREDIT: Robert Baldwin/Environment Society of Oman . This non-migratory behaviour makes them unique amongst humpback whales. Timing of presence off Oman suggested that intensive illegal Soviet whaling that took 1294 blue whales in the 1960s likely targeted this population, as opposed to the more widely distributed ‘Sri Lanka’ acoustic population as previously assumed. They went to the Arabian Sea and just swept it of whales: humpback, blue whales, sperm whales. A new blue whale song-type described for the Arabian Sea and Western Indian Ocean. A Northwest Indian Ocean blue whale flukes up for a dive off the Arabian Sea coast of Oman. B. King,” Cerchio tells the, "With all that work on blue whale songs, to think there was a population out there that no one knew about until 2017,”, Cerchio, “well, it kind of blows your mind.". "A New Blue Whale Song-Type Described for the Arabian Sea and Western Indian Ocean." In 2018, the researchers reported their finds to the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission, which prompted another team of researchers to realize that they too had recorded the new song, this time off the Chagos Archipelago in the central Indian Ocean. “It’s like hearing different songs within a genre—Stevie Ray Vaughan versus B. “When you look, you tend to find things.”. Researchers believe the source is either the blue whale or Bryde’s whale since both species have been documented off Oman previously. In the wake of this discovery, the new song was detected again by Cerchio’s colleagues, who were recording humpback whales off the coast of Oman, in the Arabian Sea. True discovery is a very rare event. 495-515, doi:10.3354/esr01096. “It’s very exciting and maybe it’s hard to describe that,” says Cerchio, lead author on the study. The calls were, in fact, more prevalent in this area than in the western Indian Ocean—a particularly significant find because no acoustic data had previously been collected from blue whales in the Arabian Sea. Can You Spread Covid-19 After Getting Vaccinated? “But they are distinct, meaning they may be much more endangered than previously thought. Stretching up to 110 feet and weighing up to 150 tons, blue whales swim through all of the world’s major oceans, with the exception of the Arctic. The species continues to be put at risk by ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, habitat degradation and other threats. According to the International Whaling Commission (IWC), more than 300,000 blue whales in the Southern Hemisphere and another 20,000 in the North Atlantic and North Pacific were slaughtered during the first half of the 20th century. These blue-grey giants have a long, stream-lined body, a wide head, huge flippers, a powerful tail … Endangered Species Research (2020). The unusual song was picked up at three different underwater locations separated by 3,500 kilometres (2,175 miles) of ocean. A unique whale song has revealed a previously unknown blue whale population in the north-western Indian Ocean, experts have said. An international team of researchers uncovered what they believe to be a new population of blue whales. Experts had previously identified “two or three” blue whale subspecies in the Indian Ocean, structured into four distinct populations, according to the study authors. “It’s all blues, but you know the different styles.”. They feed almost exclusively on krill, straining huge volumes of ocean water through their baleen plates (which are like the teeth of a comb).
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