Endangered Whales Sing Near New York Coast

ITHACA, N.Y.-- For the first time, Blue whales have been positively identified off the coast of New York. The discovery was made by Research experts at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Bioacoustics Research Program.

In January, researchers recovered a sound 70 miles off the coast of Long Island and New York City and a second one was recorded from a further distance.

“Blue whales are the largest animals ever to have lived on Earth and their voices can travel across an ocean” said Christopher Clark, the program director.

When speeded up 10 to 20 times, recordings of the whales’ vocalizations sound like low moans and purrs. At normal speed, the vocalizations are too low for humans to hear.