Jessica Crance is a research biologist who recently discovered right whales singing for the first time. While some whales like humpbacks and bowheads are known for their melodious songs, none of the three species of right whale has ever been known to sing. Crance led the research team at NOAA that documented North Pacific right whales breaking into song in the Bering Sea, and on this episode of the Mongabay Newscast, she will play recordings of two different right whale song types and discuss what we know about why the critically endangered whales might be singing.

Here’s this episode’s top news:

• Japan resumes commercial whale hunting
• Heart of Ecuador’s Yasuni, home to uncontacted tribes, opens for oil drilling
• Zambia halts plans to dam the Luangwa River

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