Ocean Quack : Scientists have managed to resolve the mystery behind the under sea 'quacking' heard every winter and spring in Southern Ocean by finding that this bizarre acoustic phenomenon is caused by Antarctic mink whales. This phenomenon was first observed in 1960s and has remained a mystery since then.
The researchers said that the undersea chatter of Antarctic minke whales is responsible for the distinctive duck-like sound.
Biology Letters said that microphones were attached to two of the marine mammals by the researchers who later succeeded in hearing these mammals making the strange sound.
The sound was first detected by submarines in the 1960s and since then this noise has been recorded many times in deep, uncharted waters around the Antarctic and western Australia.
Denise Risch, lead researcher for the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), said: "Over the years there have been several suggestions but no-one was able to really show this species was producing the sound until now. It was either the animal carrying the tag or a close-by animal of the same species producing the sound."
Scientists said that they are unaware why the minke whales produce the sound, but added that it is likely that it is a for! m of communication between the mammals.
"Identifying their sounds will allow us to use passive acoustic monitoring to study this species," Dr Risch said.
"That can give us the timing of their migration - the exact timing of when the animals appear in Antarctic waters and when they leave again - so we can learn about migratory patterns," he added.
Source : http://www.delhidailynews.com/news/50-year-old-mystery-of-the-ocean-quack-solved-1398301653/
