natgeo Β· 01:31

🐳 😱 Nat Geo Explorers and researchers from @Project CETI witnessed the birth of a sperm whale! Since the team was equipped with advanced technology, their data will likely reveal more than we’ve ever known about the species. Learn more at the πŸ”— in bio.

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Transcript

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This is a sperm whale giving birth, and for humans to witness this is super rare.

The last scientific record of a sperm whale birth was in 1986.

NatGeo explorers and other researchers from Project CETI, an organization working to decode sperm whale language, were on a routine observation when they heard very soft

clicking and followed the noise.

They found eleven sperm whales, all facing the same way, apparently trying to be quiet.

This is very unusual because they usually surface for air alone or in pairs.

Suddenly, they heard a chorus of coda as the whales started clamoring.

Oh, you can hear the, you hear that?

Coda.

Oh my god.

Clicking already?

Oh my god.

The whales started holding up the baby just above the water, keeping it afloat.

That's because baby whales can't swim immediately.

Then, other species started to show up.

Including pilot whales and Fraser's dolphins.

Researchers still aren't sure why they were there, but one theory is that they heard the whales frenzied sounds.

When they saw the whale birth, the team at Project CETI happened to be equipped with drones and special microphones to capture the whales' clicks.

With the enormous amount of data from video and audio recordings, they hope to uncover more than ever before about the species' behavior and speech.

The group of whales stayed with the calf propped up for hours.

They eventually departed in pairs back to the sea floor where they spend most of their time.

The more we learn about whales, the more questions we seem to have.

What are you curious about?

About this transcript

Video length
2 min
Transcript
267 words
Reading time
1 min
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🐳 😱 Nat Geo Explorers and researchers from @Project CETI witnessed the birth of a sperm whale! Since the team was equipped with advanced technology, their data will likely reveal more than we’ve ever known about the species. Learn more at the πŸ”— in bio., by natgeo in full: every line of the transcript with the second it was spoken, and a summary at three depths above it.

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🐳 😱 Nat Geo Explorers and researchers from @Project CETI witnessed the birth of a sperm whale! Since the team was equipped with advanced technology, their data will likely reveal more than we’ve ever known about the species. Learn more at the πŸ”— in bio. β€” Transcript & Summary