I may never see whales the same way again…
A Shocking Underwater Encounter
While we often assume animals can’t communicate the way humans do, some species can replicate human-like sounds in ways that are downright unsettling. Parrots are a well-known example, mimicking words and sentences with surprising clarity.
But imagine the shock of hearing a beluga whale underwater making noises eerily similar to human speech. While dolphins have been trained to imitate certain sounds, no animal had ever done so spontaneously—until NOC, a nine-year-old beluga, changed everything.
NOC began producing strange, low-octave bursts of sound, unlike anything researchers had heard before. The breakthrough moment came when a diver at the National Marine Mammal Foundation in California surfaced in confusion, asking, “Who told me to get out?”
The researchers were stunned—something extraordinary had just happened.
A Discovery That Redefines Whale Communication
Until now, no one had captured clear evidence.
Fast forward to today, and a resurfaced 2012 recording of NOC has left the internet unsettled. Instead of finding it amusing, many viewers describe the beluga’s eerie attempts at speech as deeply disturbing, sparking new debates about what these ocean giants might be capable of.
The Internet Reacts
ABC News anchors described the beluga as cute and friendly, but online reactions paint a different picture.
One YouTube user joked: “Pulls up the bloody terrifying beluga whale picture basically saying ‘I will consume your soul.’”
Another highlighted the eerie contrast between the cheerful commentary and the unsettling image, saying: “The thumbnail literally made my SOUL jump out of its body for a second.”
Some found humor in the awkward moment: “I laughed so hard when she said ‘he looks kinda friendly’ right as that terrifying picture came up.”
Others offered a more logical take: “It makes sense if you think about how the beluga is only mimicking what he can hear.”
Regardless of how you feel, one thing is clear—NOC’s chilling vocalizations have left a lasting impression, making us rethink what we thought we knew about the intelligence and communication abilities of whales.
