New Species of Whale Discovered In Antarctica

Scientists believe is a new whale species is doing the exact opposite of other whales. It is being as heard as it is seen.

Recordings taken near the polar continent captured a strange, never-before-heard whale sound — a signal they are calling “Antarctic BW29”. Researchers say that they located the signal 1,000 times in 14 separate recordings.

The unique sounds are similar to a chirp and are usually associated with a particular kind of whale, known as beaked whales to navigate their way. Scientists are able to identify what species of beaked whale is nearby just by listening to the recordings. But while this particular signal has similar frequencies and pulses that beak whales use, it’s still different from anything ever heard before.

Beaked whales are a family of whales that is known for its members’ “highly elusive behavior.” They are notoriously difficult to spot, diving deep into the ocean’s depths and only surfacing for short periods of time. As a result, scientists are still discovering different species today. One species, Deraniyagala‘s beaked whale, was only identified last year.

Because beaked whales are so poorly studied, it is possible that the sound comes from an already-observed species that is finally speaking on the record. But given the whales’ slippery past, the authors believe that there is a chance that this signal might indicate a species that hasn’t been observed yet. It will take further research to get to the bottom of this mystery, but we’re keeping our ears peeled.