Blue Whales Gone Silent

Blue Whale Illustration

Blue Whales Are Falling Silent

In recent years, scientists have noticed an unsettling change: blue whales off California and New Zealand are singing less. Hydrophone data shows a dramatic drop—up to 40%—in vocal activity.

The cause? A massive marine heatwave known as The Blob, which wiped out krill populations, forcing whales to spend more time searching for food and less time singing. Unlike humpbacks that adapt by eating varied prey, blue whales depend almost entirely on krill, making them far more vulnerable.

This silence is more than an acoustic change—it’s a signal. Blue whales are sentinels of ocean health, and their reduced songs may reflect deeper ecological crises affecting the entire marine food web.

We often measure climate change in degrees and millimeters. But perhaps one of the most powerful indicators is measured in decibels—when the ocean’s largest voices begin to fade.

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