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. True discovery is a very rare event. 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 Whale Network (ASWN) collaborates to conserve humpback whales and other cetaceans in the Arabian Sea. The Arabian Sea was a prime target … 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 … 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. Her work has appeared in a number of publications, including NYmag.com, Flavorwire and Tina Brown Media's Women in the World. 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. They described them by their unique melody in a new study in the journal Endangered Species Research. "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. Endangered Species Research (2020). The researchers behind the paper recorded a novel blue whale song and verified it in the western Indian Ocean. 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. They feed almost exclusively on krill, straining huge volumes of ocean water through their baleen plates (which are like the teeth of a comb). “When you look, you tend to find things.”. This non-migratory behaviour makes them unique amongst humpback whales. Advertising Notice ‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬. 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. A Northwest Indian Ocean blue whale flukes up for a dive off the Arabian Sea coast of Oman. 43, 2020, pp. “There was illegal hunting by soviets in the ‘60s long after there were moratoriums. 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. potential affinity for the northern IO/Arabian Sea, and only minor presence in the southwestern IO. '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? Now, a new cohort had entered the picture. And yet—in spite of their gargantuan size, wide distribution and loquaciousness—blue whales are elusive animals. A new blue whale song-type described for the Arabian Sea and Western Indian Ocean. 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. 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.". CREDIT: Robert Baldwin/Environment Society of … 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. Continue 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. California Do Not Sell My Info When we started looking at records, there weren't two song types, there were four,” Cerchio tells Treehugger. 5998-6010, doi:10.1111/mec.12990, Cerchio, S., et al. 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. In some ways, this wasn’t surprising. 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. 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. 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. The unusual song was picked up at three different underwater locations separated by 3,500 kilometres (2,175 miles) of ocean. Experts detected the song in the north-western Indian ocean and Arabian Sea 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. A Northwest Indian Ocean blue whale flukes up for a dive off the Arabian Sea coast of Oman. They went to the Arabian Sea and just swept it of whales: humpback, blue whales, sperm whales. Previously unknown population of blue whales living in the Indian Ocean is identified by scientists from its unique song. Keep up-to-date on: © 2021 Smithsonian Magazine. Blue whales have been protected by the IWC since 1966 and some populations are recovering. These blue-grey giants have a long, stream-lined body, a wide head, huge flippers, a powerful tail … 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. 23, no. 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. BOSTON, MASS. “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. 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. 24, 2014, pp. 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.. 3,339 whales, including 1,294 blue whales, 954 sperm whales, 849 brydewhales and 242 humpback whales. 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 … After the team reported their findings, word spread to other researchers who were also doing acoustic research on blue whales. Since it is the only blue whale song identified by them in the western Arabian Sea, researchers have called it the “Northwest Indian Ocean”. Brigit Katz is a freelance writer based in Toronto. 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. I had been researching blue whales off of Madagascar with passive acoustics. Privacy Statement “But they are distinct, meaning they may be much more endangered than previously thought. Experts had previously identified “two or three” blue whale subspecies in the Indian Ocean, structured into four distinct populations, according to the study authors. 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. Molecular Ecology, vol. An international team of researchers uncovered what they believe to be a new population of blue whales. It’s very satisfying.”. Cerchio suggests that the discovery also has very important implications for the conservation of the species. Where Are Earth's Largest Nature Reserves? “It’s very exciting and maybe it’s hard to describe that,” says Cerchio, lead author on the study. Salvatore Cerchio, a marine mammal biologist at the African Aquatic Conservation Fund and visiting scientist at the New England Aquarium, first recorded the singing when studying whales off the coast of Madagascar in 2017. Why Are Blue Whales Changing the Frequency of Their Songs? The Arabian Sea Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus arabica): A New Subspecies from the Arabian Sea by Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf - issuu. Researchers believe the source is either the blue whale or Bryde’s whale since both species have been documented off Oman previously. Terms of Use Image: A Northwest Indian Ocean blue whale flukes up for a dive off the Arabian Sea coast of Oman. The discovery, he says, was quite remarkable. The primary and preferred diet of blue whales is krilltiny shrimp-like animals. 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 … 16. “There was illegal hunting by soviets in the ‘60s long after there were moratoriums. (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. 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. Credit: Robert Baldwin/Environment Society of Oman This … The final tally from the Arabian Sea was . Fish and copepods (tiny crustaceans) may occasionally be part of the blue wh… A unique whale song has revealed a previously unknown blue whale population in the north-western Indian Ocean, experts have said. This area was more complex and more going on here that was going on before.”. “People knew there were blue whales in this area. 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. It was always assumed that these were the same whales that were in other parts of the Indian Ocean, Cerchio says. 17th Annual Photo Contest Finalists Announced. Get the best of Smithsonian magazine by email. 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 […] or 495-515, doi:10.3354/esr01096. These mammoth creatures produce intense, low frequency vocalizations that can travel more than 600 miles underwater, allowing them to communicate across vast distances. Endangered Species Research, vol. They went to the Arabian Sea and just swept it of whales: humpback, blue whales, sperm 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. The blue whale populations were reportedly on the verge of extinction around the globe during the 20th century. Can You Spread Covid-19 After Getting Vaccinated? Blue whales are the largest animals ever to live on our planet. Robert Baldwin / Environment Society of Oman. CREDIT: Robert Baldwin/Environment Society of Oman . "Blue Whale Population Structure Along The Eastern South Pacific Ocean: Evidence Of More Than One Population." “This one was a new one. A pattern of the whales’ movement started to emerge, with the animals possibly favoring the northern Indian Ocean, the study authors write. Scientists have found evidence of a previously undiscovered population of blue whales living in the western Indian ocean based on an analysis of … Ukraina. 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. “It’s all blues, but you know the different styles.”. 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. Vote Now! 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. 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, … The species continues to be put at risk by ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, habitat degradation and other threats. 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 … 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. 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. 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. They spend little time at the surface of the water, for one, and their numbers have been severely depleted by past decades of whaling. The song was heard from the Arabian Sea coast to … 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). As result, the operations were kept quiet and it was not until 1996 . ... Madagascar and Oman's Arabian Sea coast. "A New Blue Whale Song-Type Described for the Arabian Sea and Western Indian Ocean." 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 … that the truth was revealed. DOI: 10.3354/esr01096. This is the real consequence of the work.”, Torres-Florez, J. P., et al. Some of the biggest individuals may eat up to 6 tons of krill in 1 day. 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. “It’s like hearing different songs within a genre—Stevie Ray Vaughan versus B. The Sad, Sad Story of Laika, the Space Dog, and Her One-Way Trip into Orbit, The True Story of the Koh-i-Noor Diamond—And Why the British Won’t Give It Back, Five Things to Know About Queen Charlotte, The Bizarre Story of 'Vasa,' the Ship That Keeps On Giving, First Vial Used in U.S. Covid-19 Vaccinations Joins the Smithsonian Collections, Polar Bears Live on the Edge of the Climate Change Crisis, Inside Naples' World-Famous Pizza Culture, How Navajo Physicians Are Battling the Covid-19 Pandemic.