Brian Barton
Noise pollution is a growing problem for whales, with evidence suggesting that it is causing physical harm, behavioural changes, and even deaths. While the ocean was once a relatively quiet place, it is now filled with human-made sounds, such as those from shipping, construction, and military activities. These noises can interfere with the whales' ability to navigate, communicate, and perform other essential life functions. Some whales are driven to strand themselves on coastlines, while others may be unable to feed or breed successfully due to the constant noise. With ocean traffic predicted to increase by 50% by 2050, the problem of noise pollution is only expected to worsen, posing a serious threat to whale populations already facing challenges such as declining food sources and chemical pollution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Impact of noise pollution on whales | Behavioural changes, stress, hearing loss, reduced communication, ineffective navigation, strandings, decompression sickness, death |
| Sources of noise pollution | Sonar systems, seismic surveys, shipping and cargo vessels, construction, drilling, naval exercises, air guns |
| Volume of noise pollution | Military sonar can reach over 200 decibels, seismic air guns can reach 250 decibels, cargo vessels can reach 200 decibels |
| Impact of COVID-19 pandemic | Noise levels in oceans dropped due to reduced human activity, providing an opportunity to study the impact of noise pollution |
| Solutions | Quieter vessels, gear modifications, regulatory interventions to protect critical whale habitats |
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What You'll Learn
How noise pollution impacts whales
Noise pollution has a significant impact on whales, affecting their behaviour, health, and even causing their deaths. The problem is pervasive and growing, with sound-producing human activities such as shipping, drilling, and military exercises contributing to the increasing noise in the ocean.
One of the primary ways noise pollution affects whales is by interfering with their ability to communicate and navigate effectively. Whales rely on sound to find mates, locate prey, and navigate their environment. The loud and constant noise created by human activities can mask these vital sounds, a phenomenon known as acoustic masking. This interference can lead to whales becoming disoriented, struggling to find food, and having difficulty breeding.
Noise pollution can also cause whales to exhibit avoidance behaviours, steering clear of noisy environments and altering their migration routes. This can result in longer and more energy-intensive journeys, leaving them with less energy for other essential activities. The noise can further increase their stress levels, which has been linked to suppressed growth, lower fertility, and a weakened immune system.
Additionally, extremely loud noises, such as those produced by sonar and seismic surveys, can physically harm whales. These intense sound bursts can cause whales to flee into the depths of the ocean, leading to decompression sickness and, in some cases, death. Beaked whales, in particular, are sensitive to sound and may dive recklessly in response to loud noises, resulting in fatal cases of the bends.
The impact of noise pollution on whales is complex and challenging to quantify. However, the growing body of evidence suggests that it is a significant threat to their health, behaviour, and survival. With ocean noise expected to increase in the coming decades, finding solutions that balance human activities and the well-being of whales is crucial.
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Acoustic masking
The degree of acoustic masking depends on the whale's ability to discriminate between sounds. This ability is determined by the characteristics of the cochlea, a spiral-shaped chamber within the inner ear that transforms sound waves into nerve impulses, and how it encodes acoustic signals. Investigations into hearing sensitivity have focused on fine detection of pure tones in laboratory settings, which may not accurately reflect the conditions that have driven the evolutionary development of hearing.
The problem of acoustic masking in whales is challenging to address because it is a hidden polluter that is not easily noticeable. By the time scientists became aware of it, the ocean was already filled with human-made sound. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to study acoustic masking as noise levels in many ocean areas decreased due to reduced human activity.
To address the problem of acoustic masking, it is important to collect data, educate people about the issue, and support mitigation efforts. It is also crucial to advocate for laws and rules that protect whales from harmful noise pollution, such as restricting the use of sonar in critical whale habitats.
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Shipping noise
The impact of shipping noise on whales has been studied extensively. Whales are highly dependent on sound to navigate, communicate, and find food. Shipping noise can cause whales to become stressed, with the build-up of stress-related chemicals linked to growth suppression, lower fertility, and poor immune system function. It can also affect their ability to use sound to perform essential life functions, such as foraging, finding a mate, communicating with one another, and evading predators. This phenomenon is known as acoustic masking. While acoustic masking does not kill or harm whales directly, it may be reducing their chances of survival.
There are ongoing efforts to reduce shipping noise and its impact on whales. Some shipping companies are beginning to use technology for quieter ships, and it has been suggested that slowing down ships can also decrease noise intensity. Additionally, organizations like the WWF are working to limit sound pollution in certain areas, such as by creating safe corridors for migrating whales and developing whale avoidance systems.
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Military and industrial noise
Whales are particularly sensitive to loud, sudden noises, which can cause them to panic and surface too quickly, leading to decompression sickness, also known as "the bends". This condition is caused by rapid changes in pressure, resulting in acute gas-bubble lesions. Indeed, there have been several reported incidents of mass strandings of whales coinciding with military exercises using active sonar. In one such incident in 1996, twelve Cuvier's beaked whales beached themselves alive along the coast of Greece while NATO was testing an active sonar system. Another incident in the Canary Islands in 2002 also resulted in whales stranding with acute gas-bubble lesions shortly after a military exercise.
The use of seismic air guns in the oil and gas industry is also a significant concern. These air guns produce extremely loud noises that are fired approximately every 10 seconds, 24 hours a day, for months at a time during seismic mapping operations. A recent study found that when narwhals were exposed to seismic air guns, they immediately began diving to escape the noise, putting their health at risk. The constant noise from these operations can also lead to acoustic masking, where whales' ability to use sound for essential life functions like foraging, finding a mate, and communicating is impaired.
The impact of military and industrial noise on whales is a growing problem that has led to calls for regulatory action and the development of mitigation technologies. Scientists are working to better understand the effects of noise pollution on whales, but the lack of baseline data from before the oceans were filled with human-made sound presents a challenge. However, the COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to study the impact of reduced human activity on ocean noise levels, with noise levels in many areas plummeting due to fewer boats and less human activity.
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Behavioural changes in whales
Noise pollution has been observed to cause behavioural changes in whales, with the sounds of shipping, construction, and sonar systems disrupting their natural navigation and communication systems. Whale species, such as humpback whales, are known for their ability to communicate across vast distances, with their calls reaching volumes of over 180 decibels. However, the constant noise from cargo vessels and other human activities can reach similar or higher volumes, creating a challenge for whales to navigate and communicate effectively.
One of the most significant impacts of noise pollution on whale behaviour is the phenomenon known as "acoustic masking" or "communication masking". This occurs when the constant background noise from human activities, such as shipping, fills the ocean, making it difficult for whales to use sound to perform essential life functions. These functions include foraging for food, finding a mate, communicating with each other, and evading predators. While acoustic masking does not directly kill or harm whales, it can reduce their chances of survival and successful reproduction.
Noise pollution can also cause whales to exhibit avoidance behaviours. When confronted with loud and uncomfortable noise levels, whales may alter their migration routes or avoid certain areas altogether. This can lead to increased journey times and even failure to reach their intended destinations. For example, Dr Johnston noted that noise from human activities can disrupt the detection of environmental cues, such as the sound of icebergs clashing, which whales use to navigate towards cooler polar waters.
Additionally, noise pollution has been linked to increased stress levels in whales, which can have detrimental effects on their health and behaviour. Shipping noise, in particular, has been associated with higher levels of stress-related chemicals in whales, leading to growth suppression, lower fertility, and a weakened immune system. The loud blasts from sonar systems and seismic air guns used in military and industrial activities can also cause whales to flee into the depths of the ocean, potentially resulting in decompression sickness if they surface too quickly.
The behavioural changes caused by noise pollution can have far-reaching consequences for whale populations, especially when combined with other threats such as ocean acidification, chemical pollution, and declining food sources. While it is challenging to quantify the exact impact of noise pollution on whale behaviour, the growing body of evidence highlights the urgent need to address this issue and implement measures to reduce noise levels in whale habitats.
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Frequently asked questions
Noise pollution can cause whales to flee into the depths of the ocean, change their behaviour, and cause them stress. It can also reduce their ability to detect the calls of other whales, navigate, and communicate.
Noise pollution can cause whales to recklessly dive, sometimes leading to death from decompression sickness. It can also disrupt their navigation and communication, causing them to strand on coastlines.
The major sources of noise pollution that affect whales include shipping and cargo vessels, naval exercises and sonar, seismic surveys, and construction.
