It is no secret that some animals have an acquired taste for music. We have seen cows crossing fields to get nearer to harmonica music and elephants enjoying the sounds produced by a piano.
Music was even used long ago as a means to call the animals back to their paddocks from the fields.
But today, we have had the fortune of watching a beluga whale become mesmerized by the beautiful sounds of the violin.
Becoming enthralled by music
A man who visited the aquarium decided to play his violin beside one of the large water observation tanks. And, you guessed it, the beluga was in this very tank.
The gentle creature simply floats and listens attentively to each stroke, pitch, and melody created by the man and his magical violin.
As the man plays the slow melodic tune, the beluga does not move her eyes from his position. In fact, as he runs the bow up and down the violin, it is evident that she follows his every movement, ensuring that she does not miss a thing.
Whether it is the movement, the sound, or the vibrations that have totally enthralled this beauty, one thing is for sure: the beluga loves the music that this man is playing and is enjoying every second.
Approximately halfway into the video, the whale swims up and presses her forehead against the glass, almost as though trying to get closer to the sound.
As he ends his ballad with a slow downward stroke, the beluga begins to flap her front flippers in the water and presses her nose against the glass. She definitely loved the melody and appears to be asking for more.
Coincidence or fact?
This is not the first case of a beluga whale becoming totally enchanted by music.
There was a case where a Mariachi band was playing for a wedding held at an aquarium. During the performance, the belugas truly appeared to be enjoying the music. One beluga, in particular, even seemed to be dancing along!
Scientists say that the sound does not travel well between air and water, making it unlikely that the beluga could even hear the music properly. The beluga trainers explained that the dancing movement was nothing more than a trained response in which the beluga nods to the arm movements.
Other experiments conducted in which recorded songs were played underwater for the belugas revealed little to no response.
However, if you are a believer in whimsy, then it is a much more enthralling idea that the beluga was enjoying the sweet sound of the violin. If you watch the video, you can clearly see that this girl is completely intrigued!
An ear for music
Beluga whales have a highly developed sense of hearing in which they are able to hear sounds ranging from 1.2 kHz to 120 kHz. Most of the sounds are received through the lower jaw as well as the soft tissue and bone around the ear.
This could be why the beluga chose to press her forehead and nose against the glass of the tank. By doing this, the sound vibrations from the violin would be better received.
While their eyesight might not be the very best, there is no doubt that their hearing is impeccable.
For starters: this gentle girl has definitely shown an appreciation for fine music.
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