NOC (whale)

In 1984, researchers from the National Marine Mammal Foundation discovered his unusual ability to mimic the rhythm and tone of human speech.

[2] Beluga whales have been called "canaries of the sea", and anecdotes of their capacity for mimicry have been reported in the past.

[4] NOC's vocalizations were recorded and studied by a team of biologists from the National Marine Mammal Foundation (NMMF) led by Sam Ridgway.

[4] According to Ridgway, "They were definitely unlike usual sounds for a beluga, and similar to human voices in rhythm and acoustic spectrum.

Data gathered from the pressure sensors indicated that NOC was using his nasal tract as well, although he altered his normal vocal mechanics.