Green Pulse Ep 4: Lessons from the female sperm whale Jubi Lee found dead in Singapore in 2015

14:37 mins

Synopsis: In this new podcast series for 2019, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.

This week, we discuss the scientific lessons learnt from what is perhaps the most charismatic marine mammal to ever be recorded in Singapore: The sperm whale.

In a paper published on April 5, 2019, in scientific journal Peer J, a team of scientists led by Mr Marcus Chua - mammal researcher at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum - demystified the enigma of the female sperm whale nicknamed Jubi Lee. The team painted a clearer picture about what she ate and where she lived.

Hear more about the tales told by this dead whale as we chat with Mr Chua and Mr Stephen Beng, chairman of the marine conservation group of the Nature Society (Singapore).

The whale had been found dead and floating off Jurong Island with a gash in her back on July 10, 2015. Her appearance during Singapore's golden jubilee year had led a museum staff member to give her the nickname Jubi Lee.

Her serendipitous discovery had provided scientists with a good chance to learn more about this charismatic marine mammal, which was the subject of Herman Melville's classic 1851 novel Moby Dick.

Produced by: Audrey Tan (audreyt@sph.com.sg) and Mark Cheong (mcheong@sph.com.sg)

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Edited by: Adam Azlee

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