52 Maui Ocean Adventures & Whale Watch Magazine
Other Noises Whales Make.
In addition to songs, whales emit
several other sounds referred to as "social
sounds." Unlike whale songs, which are
sung exclusively by males, "social sounds"
are short noises made by both males and
females. In addition to these "social sounds,"
whales also use surface-generated sounds
like breaching and slapping to attract the
attention of other whales in the area.
On any given day, all male humpbacks
in Hawaii will be singing the exact same
song, even though the song changes as the
season progresses.
This year's song will start off where last
year's song ended, which attests to whales'
amazing memory capacity. Often described
as mournful or even scary, there's no other
sound in the world like it. As the songs hit
their low notes, if you're under the water,
your entire body will literally vibrate with
the pulse of the melody.
When you go on your whale watching
cruise (you've just gotta do that while you're
on Maui), or go snorkeling (which you also
have to do) be sure to listen to the beautiful
whale songs. It's one of the greatest mysteries
of the animal kingdom. After hearing it, the
memory is sure to stay with you as one of
the highlights of your vacation. If you can't
wait, and want to listen to the whales right
now, go to the Whale Song Project at www.
WhaleSong.net – they feature recorded
whale songs and live songs when the whales
are in Hawaii, all for free.
DECEMBER 1ST TO
THE 15TH OF APRIL
2019-20
MEGAPTERA
NOVAEANGLIAE
WHALE SOUNDS
