The song of the blue whale is falling silent, and scientists believe that silence is a warning regarding climate change. The blue whale is not only the largest animal in the world; it is believed to be the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth. It grows up to 100 feet long and can reach a weight of 200 tons. This magnificent creature’s tongue can weigh as much as an elephant; its heart as much as a car.  Its lifespan in the wild is as long as 80 to 90 years.

The blue whale is also the loudest animal on Earth. Its low-frequency call is louder than the engine of a jet plane and can be heard for hundreds of miles. They use their calls for communication and navigation. But those who study the sounds in our oceans have noticed that the blue whales are falling silent. The reason is that warming in the oceans has resulted in mass death of krill, the small shrimp-like crustaceans which make up essentially the entire diet of the blue. With a decreased food supply, blue whales must conserve their energy to keep their bodies functioning, and so they do not sing. The loss of the blue whale’s song not only harms the animals’ ability to communicate and navigate; it signals danger for our oceans and thus for all life.

The picture is not entirely bleak.  Some hope can be found in ratification of the High Seas Treaty, which went into effect in September of 2025.  It sets certain limits on exploitation of the oceans and is intended to offer protections for a percentage of their waters. May the blue whales sing again.