In Listening to Whales, Alexandra Morton shares spellbinding stories
about her career in whale and dolphin research and what she has learned
from and about these magnificent mammals. In the late 1970s, while
working at Marineland in California, Alexandra pioneered the recording
of orca sounds by dropping a hydrophone into the tank of two killer
whales. She recorded the varied language of mating, childbirth, and even
grief after the birth of a stillborn calf. At the same time she made the
startling observation that the whales were inventing wonderful
synchronized movements, a behavior that was soon recognized as a
defining characteristic of orca society.
In 1984, Alexandra moved to a remote bay in British Columbia to continue
her research with wild orcas. Her recordings of the whales have led her
to a deeper understanding of the mystery of whale echolocation, the
vocal communication that enables the mammals to find their way in the
dark sea. A fascinating study of the profound communion between humans
and whales, this book will open your eyes anew to the wonders of the
natural world.