WATCH: Beluga Whale Learns to Mimic Human Speech
Whale, this you have to see!
Noc, a white beluga whale who died five years ago, is the first whale to be positively observed trying to mimic human voices. Scientists went back and reviewed recordings and found that Noc was making sounds that they previously thought had come from his handlers at the National Marine Mammal Foundation in San Diego.
The sounds were reportedly so convincing that a diver once believed someone had ordered him to get "out" of the water, when it was actually a sound coming from Noc.
William Hurley, chief zoological officer at the Georgia Aquarium, joined Steve Doocy on Fox and Friends to explain the phenomenon.
"I think it's
clear that that's a mimicry moment. It's not an issue of them trying to talk to us," he said.
"When they communicate with one another they do so with body gestures, maybe the way that they're looking at each other, and certainly with some clicks and whistles. But there are many animals on this planet that use sound to communicate a concept but not necessarily use of a language."
Check out Noc's amazing speech-like sounds and the full interview:
