One talented violinist proved that music is truly a universal language in this breathtaking moment with a beluga whale. The special moment happened when a violinist took his instrument down to an aquarium and played an achingly beautiful song to two beluga whales. One of the whales, in particular, was fascinated with his playing and positioned itself directly in front of him as it intently listened to the performance.
Beluga whales are well known to be highly intelligent animals, and it was clear that hearing the music spoke to something in the whale’s brain. It’s very unusual for a whale to hang suspended in a single place and focus calmly on one thing for several minutes, so it really showed how much the whale loved the special performance. The Music Man is confident that animal lovers will love to see this incredible moment!
YouTuber Crystal uploaded the beluga whale interaction on June 24, 2015, and it has since been viewed 6.3 million times. Viewers found the interaction to be very sweet and added comments such as “When he stopped playing, it’s like the beluga is asking him to play another piece. What a magnificent creature” and “This musician plays so beautifully. He could not ask for a more appreciative audience. Communion transcends language.”
Believe it or not, beluga whales have gone viral multiple times for their ability to appreciate musical performances. Another popular video on YouTube showcased a “dancing beluga” who intently watched a saxophonist perform in front of his tank. The whale seemed to jive along and nod his head to the music in the video, which was enjoyed by more than five million viewers.
These two beluga whale incidents are not isolated, as musicians have also posted popular videos on YouTube showcasing belugas responding to singing as well as a three-piece mariachi band. The beluga in the mariachi video responded in a similar way to the other two videos, coming right up to the front of the tank to witness the performance. The beluga who responded to the singing was a wild whale, and it came up nice and close to a man who was singing to them in his canoe.
The Music Man readers might be interested to know that whales are among the most intelligent animal species on Earth. Researchers have found that whales are capable of complex communication and advanced problem-solving. Beluga whales are no exception to this, and scientists have found that belugas have large brains for their body size, and that their brains are highly convoluted. Both these indicators suggest a high level of intelligence.