The Loneliest Whale Hits The Silver Screen

Here’s a unique and somewhat heartbreaking story:

Next time you’re feeling lonely, just remember that you’ll probably never be as lonesome as 52 Hertz, the whale with no one to talk to. This cetacean has been tracked since 1992 by the U.S. government and is noted for his unusual vocalizations, which are at the single frequency of 52 Hertz, which, as you could probably tell, is the inspiration for his name.

His songs are remarkably more frequent and shorter in pitch when compared to most whales, whose vocalizations range between 15-25 Hertz and don’t stay at one frequency like 52’s do. And in the heartbreaking twist to it all, no other whales return his song—they simply cannot hear it.

For more than 20 years the solitary whale has made his way up and down the Pacific coast of North America, not following any migration route. The other thing that makes 52 unique is that no one knows what species he is, which, combined with his distinctive song frequency and behavior, leads many scientists to wonder if he could be the last of an unknown hybrid or malformed species.

As a result of the intrigue that has grown around 52’s story, Adrian Grenier of the hit show Entourage is reportedly producing a documentary called 52: The Search for the Loneliest Whale in the World. The film will follow a crew in their search for the elusive whale on a seven week expedition in the Pacific, telling his unique tale to the world. The film is expected to open in 2015.

Will this team actually find this perplexing, lonely creature, or will 52 forever remain a mystery?

Play the video above to hear for yourself 52’s call, the loneliest whale song in the world.