Humpback whales are known to be the gentle giants of the ocean. They are prominent because of their massive size. But a certain attribute of these whales that intrigued many marine biologists is the sound they produce.

Humpback whales produce various distinct sounds, including whistles, pulsed calls, and clicks. These sounds are for communicating, food searching, finding way, and socializing. The sounds produced have long been the subject of numerous scientific studies.

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In the coast of Maui, Hawaii, a collection of strange low-frequency sounds from humpbacks was heard by a biologist doing a scientific research. The National Geographic Society Committee for Research and Exploration partly funded the research. It was the first time these odd sounds were heard by the researcher.

A research biologist at Whale Trust Maui, Jim Darling described the set of sounds like as if listening to a heartbeat using a stethoscope. The mysterious sounds have a low beat that they seemed inaudible. "Pulse trains" are the noise the humpbacks make; and the latest noise recorded is deep enough compare to any authenticated vocalization of humpbacks.

Furthermore, Alison Stimpert, a vertebrate ecologist at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories shared that the findings of the research would not surprised her because blue and fin whales also produced similar low-frequency sounds. Stimpert is not part of the reserach team conducted in Hawaii though.

Scientific experts cannot conclude yet what the sounds are for. But a possibility is considered that the sounds are related to the mating game, because they were captured when adult female whales were with males. This ikelihood gives more thrills to continue the research.

Tagshumpback whales, whales, sounds, Ocean, marine biologists, sea mammals, mating