New Blue Whale Population Discovered
Curtailed maritime activity has helped discover a new population of blue whales in the Western Indian Ocean.
Inventiva reports about a new population of blue whales being discovered in the Western Indian Ocean, between Oman and Madagascar.
The discovery was made while recording whale sounds in the region. Typically, whale sound frequencies range between 15 – 40 Hz. In this instance, a completely unreported and hitherto unrecognized pattern of whale sounds was discovered.
A major driver of this study by the International Quiet Ocean Experiment has been the coronavirus pandemic as shipping activity has reduced considerably since its outbreak.
Commenting on this development, Suaad Al Harthi of the Environment Society of Oman stressed on his country’s prior focus on the critically endangered Arabian Sea humpback whale. With this discovery, Oman will also focus on the Blue whale in equal measure.
