Scientists from the Australian University of New South Wales have discovered a new population of endangered blue dwarf whales in the Indian Ocean from their songs, according to the institution's website.
Experts found the whales by studying data from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). The hydrophones of an organization that monitors potential underwater nuclear weapons tests have recorded the songs of pygmy blue whales, which are powerful sound signals.
Having studied the frequency, tempo and structure of the song, scientists have found that none of the already known groups of whales makes such sounds. If visual observations confirm the presence of the population, then it will become the fifth in the Indian Ocean.
“We do not know the number of whales in this group, but we suspect there are many. We hear a huge amount of sounds, “- said senior study author, professor at the University of New South Wales Tracy Rogers.
Dwarf blue whales are the smallest members of the blue whale family. They can be up to 24 meters long, and their songs can be heard at a distance of up to 500 kilometers.
Earlier, a rare 15-meter whale was spotted off the coast of Scotland. This is a unique phenomenon in the country, as sei wals usually prefer deeper and colder waters. They have been seen no more than ten times in northern Britain over the past half century.
