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Whales Shout Louder Amidst Ocean Noise Pollution
8 May
Summary
- Shipping noise levels in the Strait of Gibraltar mimic loud environments like vacuum cleaners.
- Endangered pilot whales must increase call volume to be heard over ship engines.
- Whales struggle to emit louder calls for vital functions like pod reunion.
Pilot whales navigating the busy Strait of Gibraltar are being compelled to increase their vocalizations significantly due to escalating underwater noise pollution from shipping. This research, conducted between 2012 and 2015, utilized recorders attached to 23 pilot whales to measure underwater sound and whale calls. Findings indicate that background noise levels can range from 79 to 144 decibels, akin to the sound of a noisy restaurant or a vacuum cleaner.
Scientists discovered that while the whales do attempt to make their calls louder as noise levels rise, this strategy is not always sufficient. Critically, their low-frequency and two-component calls, essential for reuniting with their pods after deep dives for food, cannot be made any louder. This limitation means increasing noise pollution directly reduces the effective communication range for these endangered mammals, making it harder for them to connect with each other.
