© 2026 All Rights reserved WUSF
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Our daily newsletter, delivered first thing weekdays, keeps you connected to your community with news, culture, national NPR headlines, and more.

Remembering the late biologist Roger Payne and his monumental 'Songs of the Humpback Whales'

Roger Payne listening for whales on a boat. (Courtesy Ocean Alliance)
Roger Payne listening for whales on a boat. (Courtesy Ocean Alliance)

Roger Payne, the biologist who produced “Songs of the Humpback Whales” has died.

More than 50 years ago, Payne introduced the world to the striking sounds of the sea creatures, propelling conservation efforts. He spoke to WBUR’s Barbara Moran last year, who produced this piece.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Tags
Thanks to you, WUSF is here — delivering fact-based news and stories that reflect our community.⁠ Your support powers everything we do.