Whales found where presumed extinct

CORVALLIS, Ore., May 26 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've documented the presence of endangered North American right whales in an area where they were thought to be extinct.

Oregon State University and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researchers said they made their discovery using a system of underwater hydrophones that can record sounds from hundreds of miles away.

The researchers said their discovery is particularly important because it is in an area that might be opened to shipping if the melting of polar ice continues, as expected.

The scientists made the discovery in a region off the southern tip of Greenland where they recorded more than 2,000 right whale vocalizations from July through December 2007.

"We don't know how many right whales there were in the area," Assistant Professor David Mellinger said. "They aren't individually distinctive in their vocalizations. But we did hear right whales at three widely spaced sites on the same day, so the absolute minimum is three. Even that number is significant because the entire population is estimated to be only 300 to 400 whales."

Results of the study were presented last week in Portland, Ore., during a meeting of the Acoustical Society of America.