Baleen whales

Imagine having to shout over incredibly loud noise in order to communicate with someone close by. For whales and other ocean animals that rely on echolocation sonar to communicate and locate food, noise pollution created solely by humans has taken a toll.

Environmental and indigenous groups have banded together to sue the Navy and the National Marine Fisheries Services for harming marine mammals with sonar. According to the plaintiffs, the Navy’s military exercises have fatally impacted federally protected species. Now they are calling for limits on the Navy’s access to this biologically rich area.

In the spring, humpback whales begin their annual migration north to various parts the cold and food-rich waters of the North Atlantic. But the entire population cozies up during winter in the warm waters of the Dominican Republic.

A Pacific Northwest artist has set up a special underwater sound system so Orca whales can hear him play the guitar, and the whales sing along. Liam Moriarity of KPLU-Seattle recorded the jam session and speaks with the artist about communicating with another species through music.