Are Humpback Whales the Pop Stars of the Ocean? | Into The Deep | BBC Earth

Summary

New research reveals the cultural transmission of humpback whale songs, which evolve and spread across vast ocean regions, mirroring human cultural trends. Expert Ellen Garland's work uncovers how these songs, potentially linked to mating and competition, are learned and passed among populations, forming a remarkable connectivity network. Meanwhile, Sophie Van Parijs' team uses acoustic technology to monitor whale communications and ship traffic, implementing protective measures to reduce ship strikes, a critical threat to endangered whale species.

Takeaways

• 🐳 Whales produce a wide variety of sounds for navigation, hunting, and social communication.
• 🎶 Male humpback whales are known to sing songs that are learned from one another and can spread across different populations.
• 🌐 The songs of humpback whales evolve and change over time, with new songs being passed from one population to another, indicating a form of cultural transmission.
• 🔄 The South Pacific humpback whale populations demonstrate a clear pattern of song transmission from west to east, highlighting a vast cultural connectivity network.
• 🌍 Research shows that humpback whale songs can travel halfway across the globe, suggesting a significant cultural exchange between distant populations.
• 👗 The analogy of human fashion trends is used to describe the rapid adoption of new whale songs, indicating a 'cultural change' within whale societies.
• 🎵 Humpback whale songs are thought to play a role in mate attraction and male competition, serving as a sexually selected signal.
• 📚 Culture in the context of whales is defined as shared behavior or information within a community acquired through social learning.
• 🔍 Ellen Garland's research focuses on understanding the transmission of whale songs and the implications for whale populations and conservation efforts.
• 🚢 Ship strikes are a significant threat to whales, particularly critically endangered species like the North Atlantic right whale.
• 📡 Hydrophones and acoustic technology are used to monitor whale populations and their environments, aiding in the prevention of ship strikes and supporting conservation efforts.

Q & A

What types of sounds do whales produce, and for what purposes?

Whales produce a variety of sounds including clicks and squeaks, which are believed to be used for navigation and hunting. They are also highly social communicators, and these sounds help keep the pod together.

Why are male humpback whales particularly known for singing?

Male humpback whales are known for singing as part of their social and mating behaviors. They learn these songs from each other and can pass them across vast distances.

How does the song of humpback whales evolve over time?

The song of humpback whales evolves each year, with changes accumulated by all males in the population. These changes move the song forward in small to large steps, reflecting a dynamic cultural transmission.

What does the term 'passing songs' mean in the context of whale communication?

Passing songs refers to the phenomenon where whales learn and adopt new songs from neighboring populations. This can result in entire song types being rapidly adopted and replacing the current song display.

How do whales' song changes compare to human fashion trends?

Similar to human fashion trends, whales' song changes represent a form of cultural shift where a new style or song becomes popular and is quickly adopted by the group.

What role do humpback whale songs play in mating and competition?

Humpback whale songs are considered sexually selected signals, used in displays to attract mates and potentially in male-male competition, with new songs standing out to potential mates.

What is the definition of 'culture' in the context of whale behavior?

In this context, 'culture' is defined as shared behavior or information within a community that is acquired through social learning from conspecifics, such as learning new songs from parents or peers.

How does the research on whale song transmission help in understanding whale populations?

The research on whale song transmission helps trace the cultural connections between populations, providing insights into their interactions, potential breeding patterns, and population identifiers.

What is the significance of tracing song types across the South Pacific in whale research?

Tracing song types across the South Pacific reveals a large-scale transmission network, showing how songs spread from one population to another and indicating the cultural connectivity between whale populations.

How can the understanding of whale song help in conservation efforts?

Understanding whale song can help identify endangered populations and their connectivity, which is crucial for implementing effective conservation measures, such as dynamic management areas to protect whales from ship strikes.

What is the role of hydrophones in whale research and conservation?

Hydrophones are used to record underwater soundscapes, allowing researchers to monitor whale presence, detect ship strikes, and gather data that can inform conservation strategies, such as establishing dynamic management areas to warn mariners of whale locations.

How do real-time hydrophone recordings contribute to protecting whales from ship strikes?

Real-time hydrophone recordings detect whale presence in shipping lanes and send alerts via satellite, enabling the implementation of dynamic management areas that warn mariners to slow down, reducing the risk of ship strikes.

What impact does slowing down ships have on the survival of whales in the event of a collision?

Studies have shown that slowing ships down, especially to under ten knots, significantly increases the chances of whale survival in the event of a collision, reducing the lethal impact of ship strikes.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 Whales' Cultural Song Transmission

This paragraph delves into the fascinating world of whale communication, focusing on the complex songs of humpback whales. It discusses how these marine mammals use a variety of clicks and squeaks for navigation and hunting, and how social bonds within pods are reinforced through communication. The script highlights that certain male whales, like humpbacks, sing songs that are learned and shared among individuals, even across vast geographical distances. Ellen Garland, a researcher in this field, explains the cultural significance of these songs, which are not only passed down within populations but also evolve and spread across different regions, much like human cultural trends. The discussion suggests that these songs may play a role in mating and competition, and that understanding this cultural transmission could provide insights into whale behavior and population dynamics.

05:01

🚢 Protecting Whales Through Acoustic Research

The second paragraph shifts the focus to the practical applications of understanding whale communication, particularly in the context of conservation. It introduces Sophie Van Parijs and her team's work at the Northeast Fishery Science Centre, which utilizes passive acoustics to monitor whale populations and their environments. The research aims to mitigate the risk of ship strikes, a leading cause of whale mortality, by deploying hydrophones to detect whale songs and other underwater sounds. When whales are detected in shipping lanes, dynamic management areas are established to warn mariners and reduce vessel speeds, thereby increasing the chances of whale survival in case of a collision. The paragraph underscores the importance of this research in protecting endangered species like the North Atlantic right whale and emphasizes the broader implications for marine conservation efforts.

10:04

🐋 The Cultural and Conservation Significance of Whale Songs

The final paragraph succinctly encapsulates the dual significance of whale songs in both cultural and conservation contexts. It acknowledges the work of researchers like Ellen in understanding the cultural transmission of whale songs, which not only provides a deeper insight into whale behavior but also serves as a tool for conservationists like Sophie. By tracking the evolution and spread of these songs, researchers can identify critical areas for protection and develop strategies to safeguard whales from threats such as ship strikes. The paragraph concludes with a nod to the collaborative efforts of scientists and conservationists in the ongoing mission to protect and preserve whale populations, hinting at the potential for further research and discovery in this field.

Keywords

💡Whale Songs

Whale songs refer to the complex vocalizations produced by certain species of whales, particularly males, for purposes that are believed to be related to mating and social communication. In the script, it is mentioned that humpback whales learn these songs from each other, and they can pass them across vast distances, indicating a form of cultural transmission among whales.

💡Cultural Context

The cultural context in the script refers to the idea that whale songs can be seen as a form of culture, similar to human cultural practices. This is because the songs are learned and transmitted socially, and they evolve over time, reflecting the shared behaviors and information within a community of whales.

💡Social Communicators

Social communicators are organisms that use various forms of communication to interact within their social groups. In the video, whales are described as social communicators, emphasizing their use of vocalizations for navigation, hunting, and maintaining group cohesion, which is vital for the survival of the pod.

💡Navigation

Navigation in the context of the script refers to the use of sounds by whales for orientation and movement through their environment. Whales are believed to use their vocalizations to navigate the vast oceans, helping them to find their way and locate resources.

💡Hunting

Hunting, as mentioned in the script, is one of the purposes for which whales use their vocalizations. These sounds may help them locate and capture prey, showcasing the versatility of whale communication in different aspects of their lives.

💡Cultural Transmission

Cultural transmission is the process by which behaviors, knowledge, and traditions are passed from one individual to another within a community. In the script, it is highlighted that whales, particularly humpbacks, learn songs from each other, demonstrating a form of cultural transmission that is similar to human cultural practices.

💡Vertical and Horizontal Transmission

Vertical transmission refers to the passing of information from parents to offspring, while horizontal transmission occurs between peers. In the script, these terms are used to describe the different ways in which whales may learn new songs, either from their parents or from other whales in their community.

💡Ship Strikes

Ship strikes are collisions between ships and whales, which can be lethal to the whales. In the script, ship strikes are identified as a major concern for the conservation of whales, particularly for endangered species like the North Atlantic right whale.

💡Hydrophones

Hydrophones are underwater microphones used to record sounds in the ocean. In the script, hydrophones are mentioned as tools used by researchers to listen to whales, ships, and other underwater sounds, which helps in monitoring whale populations and protecting them from threats like ship strikes.

💡Dynamic Management Areas

Dynamic management areas are temporary zones established to protect marine life, such as whales, from threats like ship strikes. In the script, these areas are created based on the information gathered by hydrophones, alerting mariners to the presence of whales and encouraging them to slow down to reduce the risk of collision.

💡Conservation Measures

Conservation measures are strategies and actions taken to protect and preserve species, their habitats, and ecosystems. In the context of the script, understanding the cultural transmission of whale songs and their connectivity can inform conservation measures, such as dynamic management areas, to protect endangered whale populations.

Highlights

Whales use a variety of clicks and squeaks for navigation and hunting.

Whales are highly social communicators, with complex noises vital for pod cohesion.

Male humpback whales sing songs, which they learn from each other.

Whale songs can be passed halfway across the globe among different populations.

Ellen Garland's research puts whale song in a cultural context.

Humpback whales' songs evolve yearly and are learned by all males in the population.

Songs in the South Pacific are passed from west to east populations.

Whale song changes can be rapid, with new songs replacing old ones quickly.

Whale song evolution is compared to human fashion trends.

Humpback song is a sexually selected signal, potentially for mating or competition.

Culture in whales is defined as shared behavior or information acquired through social learning.

Whale songs include population identifiers and maturity signals for mating.

Ellen Garland traced the transmission of song types across the South Pacific during her PhD.

Song types spread from the east coast of Australia to French Polynesia and then to South America.

Research aims to understand the connectivity and interaction between whale populations.

Whale song research can contribute to conservation efforts, especially for endangered populations.

Sophie Van Parijs uses passive acoustics to monitor whales and reduce ship strikes.

Hydrophones are used to record whale sounds and other underwater noises for research.

Real-time hydrophone data helps create dynamic management areas to protect whales from ship strikes.

Slowing down ships can significantly increase the survival rate of whales in case of a strike.

Transcripts

You probably already know this,

but whales are incredibly noisy creatures using tons of different clicks

and squeaks for purposes that we believe are probably navigation and/or hunting.

Much like myself, whales are also highly social communicators,

so all these wacky noises are a vital part of keeping the pod together.

And the males of just a few species, including humpbacks, even sing.

But new research shows that these males

actually learn these songs from each other and can pass them halfway across the globe.

Ellen Garland is an expert on this, and she's joining me from Scotland.

I remember learning as a kid that whales could sing,

and I always thought that it was super cool.

But reading even more about your research specifically is absolutely fascinating.

It kind of puts whale song in a cultural context, right?

So can you tell me a bit about that?

So we're trying to understand how and why humpbacks are actually singing

and then how they're learning these different songs

and how they're passing them across this really vast region.

So just for clarity, can you explain what you mean by passing it

through different regions?

So each population sings their own song each year, but the song is constantly evolving,

it's constantly changing, and all the males in the population will accumulate.

They'll learn those changes and the song moves forward in small to large steps.

But what we found in the South Pacific is those songs, those whole song types are

then passed to the next neighbouring population and they learn

it really rapidly and really quickly, and then it's passed to the next one.

And the next one.

So we have this whole large chain of populations

where songs are passed from populations in the West

to populations in the East, and it's their entire song display.

So they'll be singing this song, it's great, and then a brand new one will come in

with a completely different arrangement and they'll abandon that current display

for this brand new display really rapidly.

And it's an insane cultural change.

I almost want to compare this with our own human fashion trends.

You know, in the nineties, everyone's wearing one thing.

The 2000s come along and we adopt a whole new style.

And like with whales,

it's kind of our way of finding a mate too right, having a good sense of style?

It's a great analogy.

A really cool new outfit comes in and everyone wants to wear it, wants to be seen in it,

and then another one comes in and it's just these waves of these cultural changes.

Humpback song has all the hallmarks of a sexually selected signal.

So whether they're displaying to a mate, whether it's

to do with male-male competition or both, in a multi message signal framework.

So if you're singing something new, these new songs just jump out.

They really stand out.

So you would assume that a female, they're going to definitely hear

these differences and what that conveys to a potential mate.

Well, you know, that's a massive question.

Now, I understand that the term culture can mean a couple of different things.

So can you explain what you mean when you say culture in this context?

I define culture in a really broad sense as the shared behaviour or information

within a community which is acquired through some form of social learning

from your conspecifics.

So what we're talking about here is whales

learning new songs potentially from parents or peers.

Absolutely.

So parents to offspring is actually vertical cultural

transmission and peers is horizontal transmissions.

We don't know exactly, of course, the function of the songs and what content is in there.

And obviously this is a population identifier, so there's information on that information

that it's a mature male and obviously he would be ready to mate.

So there's that sort of is the information thus far

I think we can safely talk about as part of the song.

Now, I understand you have some new research coming out.

That is very exciting. So can you tell us a bit about that?

During my PHD, we traced the cultural

transmissions of these song types across the South Pacific.

So songs started on the east coast of Australia and were passed in a sequential pattern

across to French Polynesia, which is in the central South Pacific.

And we looked over a decade and there was this

uni directional pattern, it always went east, and we know from previous research

and other researchers that songs are passed

from the west coast of Australia to the east coast of Australia.

So we have this huge transmission network from the west

coast of Australia across to the central South Pacific.

And the next piece of that puzzle is to look from

the central South Pacific to the west coast of South America.

And so we have traced the song types spreading from French Polynesia

into the west coast of South America into the Ecuadorian population.

So now we have song types that will spread across the entire

South Pacific and almost around half the globe.

It's a phenomenal cultural connectivity network we've got going here.

To hear that humpback

songs are learned and then passed right across the Pacific is just fascinating.

What's the next thing you're hoping to find out?

To learn a new song type, you've got to be an acoustic contact.

You've got to be able to hear each other.

And we think with humpback song, it only transmits tens of kilometres

in the water, so it's not going the full ocean basin.

So there's obviously some connections perhaps on the Antarctic Peninsula,

but trying to understand how these populations

across this vast region are actually interacting.

Just because they're sharing song doesn't mean they're potentially breeding or are they?

So it's a lot of interesting, sort of, population understandings going on there.

But also, does the song continue?

Do we have this huge full circumpolar transmission around that southern hemisphere?

So what I'm also wondering is can this research be used to help us protect whales?

In the South Pacific we still have what are classified as endangered populations.

So understanding the connectivity between these endangered populations is really important.

Song seems to be a really sensitive indicator of these connection

events, of these movements and potential meetings between the whales.

So it may help feed into some of these conservation measures.

We just touched on how Ellen's research can help protect whales.

And now I'm off to meet Sophie Van Parijs, whose team is trying to do exactly that

by listening for whales just along the coast.

Hi, Sophie.

It is so wonderful to meet you.

Wonderful to meet you too.

Come on in.

Thank you so much.

So, I'm Sophie Van Parijs.

I run the Passive Acoustics Research program here at the Northeast Fishery Science Centre.

Right now you're in one of our acoustics labs with all the equipment

that we use to do our research.

I've been hearing a bit about how complex whale cultures can be

and how vocal they can be as well.

But I understand that you're listening to whales for a totally different reason, right?

Ship strikes are lethal to whales, can often be lethal to whales,

and they're one of the two main sources of whale deaths.

The other one is entanglement in fishing gear.

So ship strike is a real major concern,

especially for the North Atlantic right whale that's a critically endangered species.

Right. Absolutely.

So you have a whole network of hydrophones along the Atlantic coast of the U.S.

listening for whales and ships and all of these other noises.

So do you have one that we can take a look at?

Absolutely, for sure.

So there's two different types of recordings that we make.

We call them archival.

When we throw something like this out into the bottom of the ocean,

we anchor it down with a weight.

And when we want to go back and release them, we send a signal to them underwater.

And so this will pop up.

And our acoustic recorder, which has been down in the ocean for about five months,

and this is the hydrophone here, recording everything it hears will come to the surface.

So what exactly are the kinds of things you're picking up using these hydrophones?

Everything.

So we listen to what we call soundscapes.

Any whales that are making sounds, any seals that are making sounds,

any fish that are making sounds, shrimp even make sounds.

You can hear boats, you can hear underwater explosions or seismic activity,

and you can hear rain and underwater earthquakes.

So we listen to everything and anything that happens underwater.

So we'll have some in the Gulf of Maine listening for right whales

because they're endangered and there's a big problem there.

We'll have them in wind energy areas prior to when there's going to be turbines

that are being built.

But in terms of ship strike, we tend to use recorders that are at the surface

and not down at the bottom.

So they're not archival. They're called real time.

So those real time ones, we tend to also put in areas where we know there's a lot of shipping.

So it'll be in a shipping lane or in an area

where there's going to be a concentrated vessels, you know, active.

So what happens is once you hear a sound, there's a little computer on board

that actually is going through listening for different sounds of different whales.

And once they hear them, it will send that information up via satellite.

It then goes to one of our research assistants in the group.

She'll check it just to make sure the computer didn't make a mistake.

And then what we do is we send that information off to our regional office.

And they will push that information out

and put in place things that are called these dynamic management areas.

They're really kind of these boxes that you draw around the sound

that are put in place and they warn mariners that whales

are there, particularly North Atlantic right whales, and they need to slow down.

So if we get the ships to slow down, how much of a difference does that really make?

There's been a bunch of studies that have showed that slowing down,

particularly to under ten knots, whether it's a large ship or a small ship can

make a real difference in terms of the ability of the whale to survive the strike.

And so I would imagine that with very few,

I think around 300, 350 North Atlantic right whales

left on earth, that this is probably something that's really important to help protect them. Right?

Absolutely.

Anything we can do

is going to be important to help protect them, particularly with ship strike.

If the boat's going too fast, it can be lethal, it can really injure the animal.

And we really don't want that to happen.

We have too few of these North Atlantic right whales out there.

Sophie, thank you so, so much for speaking with me today.

Your work is absolutely inspiring.

There you have it. Whales learn songs just like we do.

With people like Ellen, tracking how the songs are changing and evolving.

And that, in turn, helps people like Sophie find ways to better protect them and potentially

save them from extinction.