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Discovered(?): New Population Of Blue Whales In Indian Ocean

EnolaGaia

I knew the job was dangerous when I took it ...
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Novel whale song recordings from 2017 onward strongly suggest there's a previously unknown additional population of blue whales in the Indian Ocean.
Yes! A Previously Unknown Population of Blue Whales Has Been Heard in The Indian Ocean

In an exciting development, a new type of whale song may very well belong to a previously unknown population of blue whales, peacefully swimming in the Indian Ocean.

The unusual song was picked up at three different underwater locations separated by 3,500 kilometres (2,175 miles) of ocean. First recorded in 2017 off the coast of Madagascar, these unique calls were later identified in the western Arabian Sea, off the coast of Oman, and also in the Chagos Archipelago in the central Indian Ocean.

Before now, this region was assumed to harbour just a single population of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), distinguished by its own unique call. Any whales found in this area were simply assumed to be part of that population. But these new sounds didn't match up.

Instead, the songs indicate there are at least two populations in this ocean with either distinct or partially overlapping distributions. With whale songs being extensively studied on a global scale, finding something new is an exciting day for a scientist.

"It was quite remarkable to find a whale song in your data that was completely unique, never before reported, and recognise it as a blue whale," says Salvatore Cerchio, Director of the African Aquatic Conservation Fund's Cetacean Program.

"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." ...

FULL STORY: https://www.sciencealert.com/new-song-leads-scientists-to-an-undiscovered-population-of-blue-whale
 
I heard a recording of the song these "new" guys sing, and it has only two notes, as compared to the usual three or four note songs of other blue whales. These guys are minimalists.
 
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