New Study Shows How Ship Noise Affects Arctic Marine Mammals
Marilyn Westropp
Acoustiblok, Inc. Director Business Development, North America | President Association United States Army Suncoast Chapter
Published at: Jan 02 2024 - 15:45 / Updated at: Jan 02 2024 - 15:45
A research study by the Wildlife Conservation Society Canada?has explored how ship noise affects Arctic marine mammals in the eastern Beaufort Sea, according to the CBC.
William Halliday, the lead researcher for the study, said that whales swam faster when ships were close by and that there were changes in their sounds.
Underwater noise can have negative consequences for animals, and can affect their ability to hear and communicate with each other.
"It can cause them to stop foraging or to leave an area, to maybe even change their migration route," he said, adding?if noise levels are high enough, it can affect the animal's hearing as well.
The number of ships in the Arctic have increased over the past 20 years, and are expected to continue increasing in the future.