Siren Whale

They seem harmless. Yet they have the potential of wiping out an entire crew.

— Excerpt from Into the Unknown by Jareb Bonavine

Siren Whales are a species of whales known for their beautiful yet haunting song. They are partially responsible for the many legends about sirens and merfolk. In recent years it has been discovered that they are responsible for Sirens plague.

Anatomy

The Siren Whale is a baleen whale with a roughly cylindrical enlongated body which tappers towards the ends. They have a large tail fin, one dorsal fin, and two long flippers on either side of their body which they use to move through the water. Their head is flat with two blowholes on the top for breathing, and eyes placed on the sides of it. They have 18 - 24 vertical troat grooves running along their underside which allow them to expand their large mouths for feeding. Siren Whales are between 8 - 12 meters long. With females growing larger than males. They have a dark blue color with a pale grey underside.

Geographic Distribution

Siren Whales prefer the deep-sea. They will very rarely travel close to coastal regions and are not very common in more tropical waters. They can be found in every other part of the ocean though.

Reproduction & Behaviour

Pregnancy for Siren Whales lasts about 11-12 months. After the birth calves are weaned at 7-8 months old, but remain with their mother for another two years. During this time mother and youngster will develop a very strong bond. Siren Whales sometimes form pods with others of their species. They will protect each other if needed and communicate with various whale songs.

Lifespan

75 - 80 years

Average Length

8 - 12 m

Whale Song

A Siren Whale song can be heard over great distances. It is so hauntingly beautiful that people used to believe it was the song of a siren. According to those tales a siren is a creature with the upperbody of a woman and the lower body of a fish. Since then scholars have discovered the true origin of the song. Still, tales about sirens keep circulating, especially among seafarers

Sirens Plague

The Siren Whale seems harmless at first. It is not aggressive and feeds only on krill, small fish, and algae. Yet these whales can potentially spread fungal spores which cause a deadly disease known as sirens plague. Most adult Siren Whales seem to carry the spores without the fungus harming them.