BBC Highlights Bermuda Whale Song Story
The BBC has highlighted Frank Watlington’s recordings of humpback whales off Bermuda in a feature exploring how the discovery of whale song changed our understanding of them.
The article said, “In the 1950s and 60s, scientists realised that the noises made by whales form a song. Now we know these songs even show hallmarks of human language.
“It was 1952 and the height of the Cold War. US sonar engineer Frank Watlington was stationed off the coast of Bermuda, listening in the depths for Soviet submarines and seismic activity.
“Watlington was using an early kind of hydrophone: long cables with a microphone at the end that he would sink into the ocean. It’s not known what military operations he may have detected, but he did begin to pick up something else.
“The mournful, disconcerting sounds would go on sometimes for hours. Watlington was fascinated. He couldn’t be sure, but he began to think they were being made by humpback whales.
“It turned out he was right. Watlington and others’ incredible early recordings of humpback communication would go on to transform our view of whales forever. When these were featured on the iconic 1970 album Songs of the Humpback Whale, they introduced the otherworldly sounds of whale song to a world that previously barely knew it existed.”
Bermuda lies along the humpback whales’ annual migration route, with March and April bringing sightings as they travel towards northern feeding grounds. Their seasonal visits offer opportunities to observe the animals offshore, with whales often seen in Bermuda’s waters and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources previously issuing guidance on responsible whale watching.
The island’s connection with these marine mammals has also been celebrated through the Bermuda Post Office’s “Whales In Bermuda” commemorative stamps and the Bermuda Tourism Authority’s “The Tale Of The Bermuda Whale” video, highlighting their annual passage through local waters.
Please click here to read the full article on the BBC website.
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Category: All, Environment, History
