Whale
Acoustic
Library
Ocean Alliance has compiled more than 2,400 recordings of whale and ocean sounds, recorded from the 1950s to the 1990s. Thanks to the Council on Library and Information Resources, board contributions, and the Coller Foundation, we have begun to digitize this unique data set.
These recordings contain hundreds of hours of vocalizations from a variety of whale species from waters all over the world. The incredible diversity of whales and recording locations make these archives a unique resource in whale science. These audio recordings could hold valuable clues about changes in the marine environment over time.
Ocean Alliance is committed to sharing our recordings with scientists, artists, and the public. Using these digitized audio recordings of whale vocalizations and marine sounds, Ocean Alliance hopes to inspire and educate the public and policymakers about whale communication, whale sentience, and the risks which noise pollution poses to whales. While many are familiar with the diversity of terrestrial soundscapes, few have been exposed to the rich diversity of sounds created in the marine environment.
These digitized tapes will enrich people’s knowledge about the health of marine environments. With a greater understanding of bioacoustics and soundscape ecology, we can gain further insights into whale behavior and ecology, supporting more effective decision-making as we look to mitigate human activities that negatively impact these animals.
When all of these recordings are digitized, and the corresponding meta-data is organized, we are committed to sharing this library with the scientific community. Our current goal is to complete this process by the summer of 2026. More information on accessing these recordings will be put on this web page nearer the time. Check back on this page periodically for more information and updates regarding this process and access to the digitized library.
For any questions relating to our acoustic library, please complete the request form at the link below.
Acoustic Library
Please note: these files are copyrighted by Ocean Alliance, Inc. and cannot be downloaded, reproduced, modified or distributed without prior written permission of Ocean Alliance.
If you are interested in using our recordings for commercial applications, please reach out to us by filling in our contact form and selecting the subject ‘Acoustic Library Commercial Application’.