Blue whale calls in the Antarctic
The scientists from Australia and New Zealand returned from a six-week voyage in the Southern Ocean today after tracking up to 80 of the blue giants.
Mike Double from the Australian Antarctic Division said they recorded over 520 hours of whale song from up to 1,000 kilometres away.
"Using echo sounders we were able to map, characterise and monitor the krill in the vicinity of the blue whale and found the swarms were denser than those found anywhere else."
The sound can actually bounce off layers within the ocean ... it actually propagates horizontally and therefore can travel through the ocean quite large distances.
You'll need to listen carefully for the slow, deep, low-frequency song of the blue whale.
Audio and stills supplied by Australian Antarctic Division.
Mike Double from the Australian Antarctic Division said they recorded over 520 hours of whale song from up to 1,000 kilometres away.
"Using echo sounders we were able to map, characterise and monitor the krill in the vicinity of the blue whale and found the swarms were denser than those found anywhere else."
The sound can actually bounce off layers within the ocean ... it actually propagates horizontally and therefore can travel through the ocean quite large distances.
You'll need to listen carefully for the slow, deep, low-frequency song of the blue whale.
Click to viewAudio and stills supplied by Australian Antarctic Division.