Humpback whales wail less as population grows

隨著數量成長，座頭鯨悲泣減少

【摘要2023.2.28.二.自由】◎魏國金

Those melancholy tunes sung by humpback whales may really be a sign of loneliness.

座頭鯨唱的那些悲傷曲調，或許真的是孤獨的記號。

Scientists who tracked humpback whales in Australia noticed that fewer whales wailed to find mates as their population grew. “Humpback whale song is loud and travels far in the ocean,” said marine biologist Rebecca Dunlop.

在澳洲追蹤座頭鯨的科學家注意到，隨著數量增加，愈來愈少的座頭鯨為求偶悲泣。「座頭鯨的歌聲嘹亮，在海中傳遞很遠」，海洋生物學家蕾貝卡‧登祿普說。

As whale numbers dramatically rebounded following the end of commercial whaling, she noticed something unexpected. “It was getting more difficult to find singers,” said Dunlop.

在商業捕鯨終結後，鯨魚數量急遽反彈，她注意到某件意料之外的事。「愈來愈難找到歌唱的鯨，」登祿普說。

Scientists first began to hear and study the songs of humpback whales in the 1970s, thanks to new underwater microphones. Only male whales sing, and the tunes are thought to play a role in attracting mates and asserting dominance.

拜水下麥克風之賜，科學家在1970年代首度開始聆聽並研究座頭鯨之歌。只有雄鯨唱歌，而曲調被認為在吸引配偶與確立優勢地位上發揮作用。

新聞辭典

wail：動詞，慟哭、悲嘆、呼嘯。例句：The wind wailed in the trees.（風在林中呼嘯。）

play a role：片語，扮演角色、發揮作用。例句：Music has played an important role in her everyday life.（音樂在她的日常生活中扮演重要角色。）