The 52-Hertz whale, also known as 52 Blue, is a unique whale of unknown species that emits calls at the unusual frequency of 52 hertz. This pitch is significantly higher than the vocalizations of other whales with similar migration patterns, such as blue whales (10-39 Hz) and fin whales (20 Hz). Detected regularly since the late 1980s, it is the only known whale producing calls at this frequency. Despite extensive monitoring, the whale has never been physically sighted, with its presence identified solely through underwater microphones (hydrophones). Often dubbed the "world's loneliest whale," some potential recordings of a second 52-hertz whale have been found since 2010, though they remain rare.
The frequency of 52 Hz corresponds to the musical note G#1, which is the 12th lowest key on a standard piano or the fourth finger position on the lowest string of a double bass. It is possible it is a blue whale, fin whale, or a new species completely.
Characteristics[]
The call of the 52-hertz whale lasts 16 seconds and was recorded in the northeast Pacific. The recording was sped up 10 times to raise the pitch to 520 Hz (C5). The whale's sonic signature is distinct, differing from both blue and fin whales, as its calls are higher in pitch, shorter, and occur more frequently. While blue whales typically vocalize at 10–39 Hz and fin whales at 20 Hz, this whale's calls vary in repetition, duration, and sequence, but remain recognizable due to their frequency and unique clustering. Since 1992, the call's pitch has slightly deepened to around 50 hertz, possibly indicating growth or maturation in the whale.
The migration patterns of the 52-hertz whale do not align with those of other whale species. While its movements somewhat resemble those of blue whales, its timing is more similar to fin whales. The whale is detected annually in the Pacific Ocean from August to February, traveling up to 70 km (40 mi) per day between the Aleutian Islands, Kodiak Islands, and the California coast. It has been recorded traveling between 708 km (440 mi) and 11,062 km (6,874 mi) per season.
A possible size comparison
Researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have been unable to identify the whale's species, speculating it could be malformed or a hybrid of blue whales. Some have wondered whether the whale could be deaf, though it seems to be thriving despite its unusual voice. Its calls, the only ones of their kind, have led to the whale being described as "the loneliest whale in the world."
A spectrogram of the 52-hertz signal
In 2010, recordings from sensors in California hinted that there may be more than one whale calling at 52 Hz.
History[]
The 52-hertz whale was first discovered by a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution team, with calls detected in 1989, 1990, and 1991. After the Cold War, in 1992, the U.S. Navy declassified recordings from its SOSUS hydrophone arrays, allowing for oceanographic research. Since then, the whale has been detected every year, with the most recent sightings recorded as of 2014.
