The Loneliest Whale in the World.
As I was lost in the image world of Pininterest, I stumbled upon an image of the Loneliest Whale in the World. In 2004, The New York Times wrote an article about how, since 1992, scientists have been tracking a baleen whale named, “The 52 Hertz Whale.” She swims and sings alone in our earth’s vast ocean:
She isn’t like any other baleen whale. Unlike all other whales, she doesn’t have friends. She doesn’t have a family. She doesn’t belong to any tribe, pack or gang. She doesn’t have a lover. She never had one.
Her songs come in groups of two to six calls, lasting for five to six seconds each. But her voice is unlike any other baleen whale. It is unique—while the rest of her kind communicate between 12 and 25hz, she sings at 52hz. You see, that’s precisely the problem. No other whales can hear her. Every one of her desperate calls to communicate remains unanswered. Each cry ignored. And, with every lonely song, she becomes sadder and more frustrated, her notes going deeper in despair as the years go by.
Apparently not only is her song indecipherable to other whales, she also doesn’t follow the typical migration pattern of its species, making it even less likely to connect with others.
Just imagine that massive mammal, floating alone and singing—too big to connect with any of the beings it passes, feeling paradoxically small in the vast stretches of empty, open ocean.
How many of us, because of our unique characteristics, walk alone on mother earth calling out for another, waiting for another?
What a thoughtful post, thank you for sharing
thank you
Reblogged this on MoonLightened Way and commented:
I’m re-blogging a sad but beautiful post by Brenda of “A Meditative Journey”. It’s a gem.
I’m a bit late . . .thank you
There’s a connection between us people and mother nature’s most majestic creations here. How many, indeed!
Thank you for your comment. Yes indeed, I’m amazed as the teachings nature offers
A paradox indeed. Between the whale and us… outward characteristics, thing that unites contradictory qualities, yet so quaintly unified. In a strange but not unpleasant manner. Mirroring a connection between all of God’s creation.
Thank you for your comment. I agree there is a connection between all of this is
She doesn’t migrate, sings songs alone… It seems as if she likes her loneliness, but its difficult to believe
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I do know that some people prefer to walk upon this earth alone; yet, it seems to me that that is a journey of unspeakable suffering.
I love this post, and your blog is so beautiful!! Can’t wait to come back … I only wish I could hear the sad songs of 52 Hertz (and I also wish somebody would give her a real name!)
Yes, a beautiful name
Brenda, Thank you for this poignant gift. My book group just read and discussed “How To Read The Air” by Dinaw Mengestu. It’s about isolation, loneliness and the love you hope for, told through the eyes of an Ethiopian man, born of two lost immigrant souls. The whale story resonates with me, it’s so like the character’s dilemma in this book.
Toni
I thank you. My soul yearns for stories that validate the need to share our thoughts, to be heard, and to find refuge in community.
What if we could let the whale hear a recorded song of a normal whale and maybe she can learn to sing at the same frequency. Then we’ll lead her to the other migratory whales during migration.
Since scientists are taking the time to observe her, it would indeed be compassionate if researchers explored ways to help her reconnect with others. Thank you for sharing your compassion.
I find this intriguing. And thus I put my words into a short poem on my blog, hope you could take some time to see it?
http://filledspace.wordpress.com/2012/04/15/52-hertz-of-sorrow/
Your words reach across the distance with powerful meaning. I do wish she knew, somehow, she has been heard.
so beautiful.
thank you
thank you . . . I think her story holds our own truths in that we all feel lonely in some way
How very beautiful. The story conjures up a lovely picture in my mind. I also wish I could hear her songs.
Yes . . . it would be nice to hear her song . . . when I was pregnant I would play a tape of whale songs, for my daughter.
So sad for this poor whale, especially since she has no way of understanding her isolation. It is an amazing story and an amazing share.
her story invites me to wonder about the possible relatedness of uniqueness and loneliness
I need to look into this whale more.
Where is she from? Is she a mutant? Is she more advanced than the other species that she’s closest to?
A very interesting parallel even to SETI researchers and others who wonder if we’re the only species of our kind in the universe.
Another fascinating parallel to those of us who call out for a response from God that they think is a genuine call back as opposed to the many who feel certain by leap of faith alone.
Fascinating.
I find this heart-wrenchingly sad – I want to go make friends with the whale.
I would love to be able to embrace her in such a way she would know that she is indeed not alone
Such a beautiful post – how sad for her.
Thank you . . . our empathy tells me that she is really not alone
Beautiful writing. To cheer you up just a bit, blue whales can communicate up to 200 Hz, so I can assure you that other whales of her kind do certainly hear her (but from the picture and the statement that whales of her kind communicate between 12 – 25 Hz you must be talking about a blue whale). Also, few baleen whales are considered social and big part of their time they cruse around the vast oceans alone, especially blue whales. But there is still so much we don’t know about the blue whales. However, we do know that the incredible low frequency sound of the immense strength (up to 188dB) produced by blue whales can travel from pole to pole. That is for lone rangers, separated by vast oceans, to communicate. If she’s not able to produce the low frequency 10 – 12 Hz sound, that might be of some problem for her.
Where I come from the blue whales communicate between 40 – 150 Hz (approximately) during the summer, so I can assure you that they would hear her. Remember blue whales are giant lone wanderers that regularly meet up with each other on feeding and mating ground. Unlike us they are much less dependent on close contact of others on daily basis. And how can you know if she ever had a “lover”, I guess no one has followed her every minute of her life. Don’t forget, she’s a blue whale and lives a blue whale lifestyle 🙂
Thank you for sharing and clarifying
Heartbreaking! Did you ever see the movie Fly Away Home? It is about a goose raised by humans,and it needs to learn how to migrate south and mix with its own kind. I wonder if the same might be done with this lonely whale.
I have not seen the movie; yet it encourages me to wonder about the human nature to observe, test, or photograph while others engage through helping, teaching, or being with.
We do not watch much TV, and don’t have cable, but when we stay in a hotel, we will sometimes watch the nature channel. That was years ago, but I am still disturbed by the program in which the camera crew allowed a baby lynx whose life story they were following to starve to death so they could film it.
That was a sad story….. Poor whale… 😦
It is a sad story that seems to touch a lot of people
Heartbreaking!
Creatures that stand out are bound to end up alone…
It seems that those who are unique may find themselves in the spotlight for a moment or two . . . but at the end of the day . . . they are alone.
This made me sad and also introspective on many levels.
Many thoughts, how do they know it is a female? Perhaps she was born deaf? Why don’t some of those scientists find some funding and introduce her to her species by careful intervention? Thanks for sharing.
I have wondered about the possibility of deafness . . . there seems to be a message about the marginalization of uniqueness in a world where sameness equals inclusion. Thanks for visiting.
Reblogged this on Untitled Adventure and commented:
This is such a touching account of an interesting story, I had to share it. I can relate very well to the closing remarks!
Thank you for the like of “Red Leaves with Accents”.
Thanks for visiting my blog Brenda. I love this post, it is poignant because it highlights the journey I’m making right now. Although I do have people around me the journey itself has to be taken alone and that, for any social animal, is isolating.
Thank you in return for sharing your life’s story and opening my mind to a deeper connection with life
Beautiful photo.
Gayle, the image was found on google . . . not sure of the photographer
So sad!
I think the story invites us to consider who and when people are shunned esp when they are felt to be an other.
This is so sad. And so unusual. I wonder why she swims alone? An introverted whale???
within her story I hear the story of those whose uniqueness is about being alone. thank you for visiting
Aand on my first visit to your blog you break my heart. Being able to communicate with your social group is vital. I wonder if an injury or birth ‘defect’ causes the frequency difference.
It sounds as though you have a compassionate heart that yearns to understand…