The Decibel Whales, extinction and the sounds of underwater noise pollution
Nov 3, 2025
Jenn Thornhill-Verma, an environmental journalist known for her work on North Atlantic right whales, joins Mark Baumgartner, a senior scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. They delve into the pressing issue of these whales nearing extinction, with fewer than 400 left. Topics include the impact of underwater noise pollution on whale communication and behavior, the dangers of ship strikes and entanglements, and innovative methods researchers use to track these majestic creatures. Listeners gain insight into the plight of right whales and the urgency of their conservation.
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Whales Vocalize In Bursts
- Right whales vocalize intermittently: brief active periods followed by long quiet stretches, complicating monitoring.
- Mark Baumgartner compares their speech pattern to humans who "talk for a few minutes" then shut up for hours.
Up Call Serves As Social Name Tag
- The up call acts as a social contact and likely self-identifying call used widely across sexes.
- Researchers treat the up call as a "hello, I'm Jen" signal that initiates social interactions.
Gunshotting And Head-Pushing Display
- Hanson Johnson describes an older male repeatedly performing head-pushing and producing regular gunshot calls.
- The male alternated gunshotting with complex moans during short dives, showing intricate solo behavior.