Leopard seals sing 'otherworldly' love songs akin to nursery rhymes, study finds
When male leopard seals dive down into icy Antarctic waters, they sing songs structured like nursery rhymes in performances that can last up to 13 hours, scientists said Thursday.
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The Australian-led team of researchers compared the complexity of the songs composed by the big blubbery mammals to those of other animals — as well as human musicians like the Beatles and Mozart.
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Lucinda Chambers, a bioacoustics PhD student at Australia's University of New South Wales, told AFP that people are often surprised when they hear the 'otherworldly' hoots and trills sung by leopard seals.
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'It kind of sounds like sound effects from an '80s sci-fi' movie, said the lead author of a new study in the journal Scientific Reports.
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During the spring breeding season, male leopard seals dive underwater and perform their songs for two minutes before returning to the surface for air. They then repeat this performance for up to 13 hours a day, according to the study.
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The researchers determined that all leopard seals share the same set of five 'notes' which are impossible to distinguish between individuals.
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However, each seal arranges these notes in a unique way to compose their own personal song.
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'We theorize that they're using that structure as a way to broadcast their individual identity, kind of like shouting their name out into the void,' Chambers said.
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The researchers believe the males use these songs to woo potential female mates — and ward off rivals.
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'Songbirds of the Southern Ocean'
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The team studied recordings of 26 seals captured by study co-author Tracey Rogers off the coast of Eastern Antarctica throughout the 1990s.
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'They're like the songbirds of the Southern Ocean,' Rogers, who is also from the University of New South Wales, said in a statement.
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'During the breeding season, if you drop a hydrophone into the water anywhere in the region, you'll hear them singing.'
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The team analyzed how random the seals' sequences of notes were, finding that their songs were less predictable than the calls of humpback whales or the whistles of dolphins.
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Researchers find hoots and trills beneath Antarctic ice can last up to 13 hours per day Published Jul 31, 2025 • Last updated 12 hours ago • 3 minute read Juan BARRETO/AFP/File Photo by Juan BARRETO / AFP/File When male leopard seals dive down into icy Antarctic waters, they sing songs structured like nursery rhymes in performances that can last up to 13 hours, scientists said Thursday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The Australian-led team of researchers compared the complexity of the songs composed by the big blubbery mammals to those of other animals — as well as human musicians like the Beatles and Mozart. Lucinda Chambers, a bioacoustics PhD student at Australia's University of New South Wales, told AFP that people are often surprised when they hear the 'otherworldly' hoots and trills sung by leopard seals. 'It kind of sounds like sound effects from an '80s sci-fi' movie, said the lead author of a new study in the journal Scientific Reports. During the spring breeding season, male leopard seals dive underwater and perform their songs for two minutes before returning to the surface for air. They then repeat this performance for up to 13 hours a day, according to the study. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The researchers determined that all leopard seals share the same set of five 'notes' which are impossible to distinguish between individuals. However, each seal arranges these notes in a unique way to compose their own personal song. All seals share the same five 'notes', which include hoots and trills, but structure them in their own unique wayJUAN BARRETO/AFP/File Photo by JUAN BARRETO / AFP/File 'We theorize that they're using that structure as a way to broadcast their individual identity, kind of like shouting their name out into the void,' Chambers said. The researchers believe the males use these songs to woo potential female mates — and ward off rivals. 'Songbirds of the Southern Ocean' The team studied recordings of 26 seals captured by study co-author Tracey Rogers off the coast of Eastern Antarctica throughout the 1990s. 'They're like the songbirds of the Southern Ocean,' Rogers, who is also from the University of New South Wales, said in a statement. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'During the breeding season, if you drop a hydrophone into the water anywhere in the region, you'll hear them singing.' The team analyzed how random the seals' sequences of notes were, finding that their songs were less predictable than the calls of humpback whales or the whistles of dolphins. But they were still more predictable than the more complex music of the Beatles or Mozart. 'They fall into the ballpark of human nursery rhymes,' Chambers said. A friendly leopard seal takes a close look at a camera under water. Photo by Elaine Field This made sense, because the songs need to be simple enough so that each seal can remember their composition to perform it every day, she explained. She compared it to how 'nursery rhymes have to be predictable enough that a child can memorize them'. But each seal song also needs to be unpredictable enough to stand out from those of the other males. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Leopard seals, which are the apex predators in Antarctic waters, swim alone and cover vast distances. They likely evolved their particular kind of song so that their message travels long distances, the researchers theorized. Varying pitch or frequency might not travel as far in their environment, Chambers said. Female seals also sing sometimes, though the scientists do not know why. Chambers suggested it could be to teach their pups how to sing — exactly how this talent is passed down is also a mystery. But she added that this behaviour has never been observed in the wild. The females could also just be communicating with each other, she said. © 2025 AFP Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
