Why Delphinapterus leucas Is Called the Canary of the Sea

[00:00:00]This is why Delphinapterus leucas is called [music] the canary of the sea.

[00:00:05]This Arctic whale is famous for the huge variety of sounds it can [music] make.

[00:00:11]Clicks, whistles, chirps, calls that sound almost bird-like. And that is where the nickname comes from. But the real story gets even stranger when you look inside the head. At the front is a soft, [music] rounded structure called the melon. It helps shape and focus sound. That matters because [music] Delphinapterus leucas depends heavily on sound to communicate and to echolocate in dark, icy water. Inside the head and nasal region, air moves through specialized passages that help generate sound. Then, the melon [music] helps project it forward. So, this whale is not just making noise. It is using a highly specialized biological sound system. That is why Delphinapterus [music] leucas is called the canary of the sea.

[00:01:02]Because [music] in the Arctic, sound is not just a voice. It is a survival tool.