The sea of Disko Bay at Qeqertarsuaq is full of sound. Now you can hear the whistles and clicks of whales singing to each other, ships sailing by, and icebergs cracking from anywhere in the world by clicking on https://diskolive.com/
Disko Live! is a research project which aims to connect science with society. A primary goal is to understand the Arctic in the context of climate change and modernisation and to communicate the effects to the general public. The sound station records Disko Bay’s underwater sound 24 hours a day all year round. Sound data is streamed and stored to describe changes in the composition of marine mammal species in the bay and the extent of man-made noise. Simply put, how rising background noise levels can affect marine life.
Disko Bay in West Greenland is unique in the Arctic because of the many different species that live there. Right now it is possible to hear the last songs of this year from the iconic bowhead whales. The male bearded seals whistle, and you may be lucky enough to hear the clicking sounds of the last narwhals and beluga whales before they begin their migration north. In June, humpback, fin and minke whales come to Disko Bay, and their songs fill the soundscape.
It is an important habitat for a number of Arctic and Atlantic marine mammal species that stay in the bay at different times of the year. For example, Disko Bay is the most important gathering area for bowhead whales in Greenland. Every year between 500 and 1,000 bowhead whales enter the bay from January to the beginning of June.
The new underwater listening station at Qaqqaliaq in Qeqertarsuaq can be accessed at https://diskolive.com/.
The project is a collaboration between the town of Qeqertarsuaq, the Arctic Station, the Natural History Museum of Denmark, Visit Greenland and Greenland Institute of Natural resources. The project is supported by Crown Prince Frederik’s and Crown Princess Mary’s Foundation, Carlsberg Foundation, Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation and Hotel Disko Island.
Qeqertarsuaq, a part of Disko Bay region, lies a short sail or helicopter flight away from Ilulissat, the capital of North Greenland. You can reach Greenland via Copenhagen and Keflavik airports.
Senior researcher in the Department of Mammals and Birds, Outi Tervo, outi@ghsdk.dk
Tanny Por
Head of International Relations
Phone: +45 20 76 96 90
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