Whales, the largest animals on Earth, love to sing. We call the sounds they make “songs” because they follow repeating patterns of pitch, rhythm, and timing. But whale songs aren’t just simple noises; they’re actually complex forms of vocal communication. For example, dolphins are known to use around 700 different “words” that they combine to convey meaning.
Just like people in Korea and the U.S. speak different languages, whales also produce different sounds depending on their species, group, or region. For instance, orcas (killer whales) in Korean waters sound different from those in American waters; it’s like they’re speaking entirely different languages.
however, something fascinating happens when whales that “speak” different languages encounter each other. In 2010, researchers at the University of Puerto Rico discovered that when bottlenose dolphins and Guiana dolphins meet in the overlapping coastal waters near Costa Rica, they actually change how they vocalize. Instead of using their usual calls, they make entirely new sounds. Although the exact reason isn’t known yet, scientists believe this might be an attempt to develop a shared way of communicating.
Whales swim endlessly through the vast ocean, singing songs that echo through the dark, quiet sea. These songs are more than beautiful sounds; they’re the result of a deep desire to connect and communicate with others in their pod.