Biologists in Glacier Bay earlier this month recorded whale song that they believe came from one particular humpback, a male called 1652 that has not been observed singing before. He’s been identified as number 1652 because of his very distinctive fluke shape and markings (see picture right). Every summer since 2000, he’s believed to be one of 200 whales that now feed during the summer in Glacier Bay, before heading off for the winter breeding season in the warmer waters of Hawaii. Scientists say song is not usually observed or heard in Southeast Alaska. Vocalizations are usually in the form of simple contact or coordinating feeding behavior.
Whale biologist Chris Gabriele describes how they made the link to 1652 in this interview along with some of the sound of the recording.
We have more links that include the page where the National Park Service posted recordings of #1652, other sounds recorded in Glacier Bay, a Fluke ID Catalog of humpbacks in Glacier Bay, and another interview that Gabriele did a few years ago.
