It’s fairly common knowledge that dolphins are incredibly intelligent and can communicate in ways that still mesmerize us but what about some of their aquatic cousins?
This beluga whale listening intently to a violin says they understand!
The video captures a master violinist playing a beautiful original piece for a whale at an aquarium!
It’s a slow, beautiful, melodic piece.
The beluga, named Juno, stares intently and remains quite still while violinist plays! Juno is clearly listening and trying to decipher the music!
Maybe Juno thinks this is a human that is speaking?
Beluga whales have an interesting relationship with people. They can communicate with us in a more active way than many animals!
Some belugas have been able to mimic human voices!
The most prominent example has been NOC, a Beluga who started imitating human voices in the 1980s.
Sam Ridgeway, a co-author of a study on belugas, described his experience of hearing NOC “speak” to National Geographic:
“a human diver thought someone had told him to get out of the whale’s tank—it turned out to be NOC, repeating a sound like the word “out.”
‘This was very rare, and a first for me,’ said Ridgway.”
“Why a marine mammal would imitate human voices is unclear, though the creatures’ human-mimicking speech may be a side effect of their ability to imitate each other, [marine biologist Peter Tyack] suggested.
“For instance, dolphins sometimes copy each other’s signature whistles, and humpback whales learn songs from each other.”
This might explain why Juno was so intently listening to Paul’s violin!
Considering belugas mimic both humans and each other, Juno might have thought Paul was mimicing the sounds of belugas with his violin!
Either that or Juno just really loved the sound of a beautiful violin!
And why exactly was that violin so beautiful?
Well, the master violinist was actually Paul Baker from Brigid’s Cross!
Brigid’s Cross is a band that has been playing for 24 years (and counting!) in a wide variety of genres including rock, Celtic folk, contemporary Irish music and country!
Yeah, the violin makes a whole lot more sense all of a sudden, doesn’t it?
From Brigid’s Cross’ website:
“Audiences are pulled into a vortex of fine musicianship, humor, high energy and audience participation when they see a BC performance. Currently, Brigid’s Cross mostly performs as a two piece, and has for the last 11 years or so.
“Paul is the Master of Ceremonies, and a master violinist, to boot.
“He has been performing in bands for 39 years, and as a soloist since he was a young child, and his talent and experience certainly shine.”
Who wouldn’t be mesmerized with a talent like that!?
They’re certainly a charming duo, marking that the banter between the two members is often one of the best parts of BC live shows!
“They have created quite a cult following along the way: friends and fans come to the shows wearing t-shirts with the latest hip tribute to a frothy pint and sporting temporary tattoos of the BC logo. […]
“Average ages range from 1 to 100.”
Paul’s no-dialogue banter with this beluga is similarly fantastic in its own, strange, interspecies way.
But belugas often communicate with humans in non verbal ways! There’s this video of a beluga whale teasing some kids by using it’s expressive face to shock them over and over again.
They’re very playful with people! They often blow bubbles and water at us!
The video is a lot of fun to watch, between the great look that Juno gives Paul throughout his song and Paul’s beautiful song as a whole!
I highly highly HIGHLY recommend giving it a watch! You can check it out just below!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
