Ocean Sentry
(From /news.sky.com) One of nature”s most mysterious creatures is under threat in Russia”s North from Arctic exploration.
The Beluga whale visits the shallow waters off the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea on the edge of the Arctic Circle every summer to mate.
Russia”s territorial aspirations and desire to control the Arctic”s bounty of oil and gas is compromising the Beluga”s future. Increased traffic from shipping and exploration for energy supplies is upsetting the creatures’ delicate balance of life.
Using underwater cameras and microphones they are learning more and more about the whales’ language: an elaborate dialogue of clicks and squeaks.
One of the senior scientists, Vladimir Baranov, says his team has detected a distinct logic amongst the sounds. “We know Beluga whales have an alphabet consisting of thirty sounds and our task is to work out their vocabulary.”
“I see my work as a way to make contact with another highly developed intellect – there is no need to go the Mars or other galaxies for that,” he said.
The scientists are hoping their work will improve understanding about the Beluga whale.
They want the unique location of Solovesky Islands declared a heritage sight so the whales will have a permanent sanctuary away from man to breed and flourish.
