The leopard seal is known for being loud during mating and the males are particularly loud. At night, they sing underwater for up to 13 hours to attract females.
Researchers have now analyzed recordings of the male seals' songs to better understand their structure and patterns, writes Science Alert.
What surprised the researchers the most was that the song has a likeness to our most common nursery rhymes, such as the lullaby "Rockabye Baby" and "Baa, Baa, White Sheep". The common denominator is that they are repetitive, predictable and easy to remember.
The reason is likely that the simple melody makes it possible for the male leopard seal to be able to continue singing its courting song in exactly the same way for several days. It is important to avoid changes in pitch or frequency because it could create misunderstandings among other leopard seals.
The study is published in Scientific Reports.
