A lone whale, with a voice unlike any other, has been wandering the Pacific
for the past 12 years, according to US marine biologists.
Scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in
Massachusetts have traced the movement of whales in the northern Pacific
by using signals the US Navy records to track submarines.
They have told New Scientist magazine that the lone whale,
which sings at a frequency of about 52 hertz, has cruised the ocean since
1992.
A whale in the Pacific is
baffling scientists with its
unique song. (File photo) (ABC TV)
Its calls, despite being clearly those of a baleen, do not
match those of any known species of whale, which usually call at frequencies
of between 15 and 20 hertz. Team leader Mary Anne Daher says the mammal
does not follow the migration patterns of any other species either.
The calls of the whale, which roams the ocean every autumn
and winter, have deepened slightly as a result of ageing but are still recognisable.
Despite the whale's unique song, Ms Daher says she doubts
it belongs to a new species.
All information posted on this web site is
the opinion of the author and is provided for educational purposes only.
It is not to be construed as medical advice. Only a licensed medical doctor
can legally offer medical advice in the United States. Consult the healer
of your choice for medical care and advice.