Humpback Whale Song

Summary:

Why do humpback whales sing? Some researchers are trying to solve that mystery as they take you on a wild adventure in Hawaii. Experience some close encounters with humpback whales and their haunting songs.

Additional Credits and Funding:

Editor: Eileen Bolinksy, Living on Earth
Photo Credit: Singing whale next to hydrophone by Flip Nicklin, Minden Pictures.
Thanks to Pierre Grill for his music inspired by whale songs on the CD "Whale Cry of the Ocean" by Lisa Leung and Pierre Grill.
www.pierregrill.com

Timely on:

December: You know it's winter in Hawaii when humpback whales return to the Islands. The peak season for whale watching in Hawaii begins in the winter and lasts through spring (November - April). Interesting story for anytime of the year.

Tones:

Informational, Intriguing, Sound Rich

Language:

English

Description:

Each year, ten thousand North Pacific humpback whales migrate from their summer feeding grounds off Alaska to spend the winter and spring in Hawaii. It's the home of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary--the only place where humpbacks reproduce in the United States.

Over the past decade, Canadian scientist Jim Darling has been coming to Hawaii to try to solve the puzzle of why humpback whales sing. Since he's been recording and studying whale song, he's made some amazing discoveries. Darling has been researching whale song along with world-renowned whale photographer Flip Nicklin. (Their work has been featured in National Geographic).

Originally broadcast on Living on Earth in 2002. Two versions have been updated and remixed for PRX.

Winner of the 2002 Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter Excellence In Journalism Award for General News/Enterprise Reporting.

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