Episode 4, Mystery of the Humpback Whale Song (Changing Seas, Season 11)

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Summary

Each year, approximately half of the North Pacific humpback whale population migrates roughly three thousand miles from its feeding grounds in Southeastern Alaska to its breeding grounds in Hawai?i...

Each year, approximately half of the North Pacific humpback whale population migrates roughly three thousand miles from its feeding grounds in Southeastern Alaska to its breeding grounds in Hawai?i. While there, the male humpbacks perform their elaborate and haunting song. But what does it mean? And what is the purpose of this beautiful display? To find out, scientists are conducting research on the leeward side of Maui, inside the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. They collect data on the amplitude of an individual's song, as well as his size and testosterone levels, to determine if there is a correlation between the quality of the song and the fitness of an individual whale. The scientists are also deploying acoustic suction cup tags on humpback whales to learn how the animals spend their time throughout the day.

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