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Biologist and environmentalist whose research into whale song brought about a new awareness of the animals’ plight

His underwater microphones recorded “Songs of the Humpback Whale,” inspiring a movement that led to national and international bans on commercial whaling.

Close Antarctica is often perceived as nothing more than a lifeless barren of cold. A frozen dessert. However, not many are aware of the booming and flourishing population of Weddel seals that dominated the waters of the frozen south. There, they create a soundscape that a lot of creatures, especially humans, are unaware of. (Photo : Vassil Tzvetano on Wikimedia Commons) These pinnipeds typically emit high-pitched pings that sound like laser guns in a science-fiction movie. But that is not their entire repertoire. Research reveals that a significant portion of their calls is at ultrasonic fre...

Print Weddell seals use a breathing hole in the frozen surface of the Ross Sea. Credit: Alasdair Turner Advertisement Above the frozen ocean, Antarctica can be eerily quiet. Gusts of wind are often all one hears. Below, though, the Southern Ocean is a living soundscape dominated by Weddell seals. These pinnipeds typically emit high-pitched pings that sound like laser guns in a science-fiction movie. But that is not their entire repertoire. Research now reveals that a significant portion of their calls are at ultrasonic frequencies, high pitches well beyond the 20-kilohertz limit of most huma...