This town can’t rely on polar bears to bring in tourism anymore – the canaries of the sea could help

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. She also sings the Will Ferrell Eurovision movie song "Husavik " with the lyric, “where the whales can live ‘cause they’re gentle people.” That lyric is close to reality, whale expert Vergara said. They’re probably one of the most acoustically active or vocal mammals, along with humans, on Earth.” Unlike humpback whales, the vocalizations from belugas aren't songs with rhythm and a pattern, she said. “They absolutely rely on sound to maintain these very complex societies.” open image in gallery Geoff York, research director for Polar Bears International, takes a photo of a beluga whale as it surfaces Research has shown that individual belugas have a distinct call that they use in communication, much like a name, Vergara said. Belugas get the nickname “canary of the sea” because of their vocalization, but it also could apply like the canary in the coal mine, warning about an environment getting more dangerous, Vergara said.