Man-made noise in world's seas threatens wildlife

[Robbien]

Source: Reuters

ROME (Reuters) - Man-made noise in the world's seas and oceans is becoming an increasing threat to whales, dolphins and turtles who use sound to communicate, forage for food and find mates, wildlife experts said on Wednesday.

Rumbling ship engines, seismic surveys by oil and gas companies, and intrusive military sonars are triggering an "acoustic fog and cacophony of sounds" underwater, scaring marine animals and affecting their behavior.

"There is now evidence linking loud underwater noises with some major strandings of marine mammals, especially deep diving beaked whales," Mark Simmonds, Science Director of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, told a news conference in Rome.

. . .

According to "Ocean Noise: Turn It Down," a new report by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, the distance over which blue whales can communicate has been cut by 90 percent as a result of higher noise levels.

. . .

Experts say there are also concerns that rising levels of carbon dioxide are pushing water acidity levels up and contributing to noisier oceans, because when acidity rises, water absorbs less noise.

"If there is a lot of background noise, the animals can't hear the boat coming," said Simmonds. "It's the cocktail party effect."

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4B26P920081203

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It is not just one thing, it is the combination of all of them.

[ksimons]

1. but how can we enjoy the oceans if we don't ruin them??

oh gawd, if this world doesn't figure out really quick what we're doing, it's going to be Logan's Run all over again.

[fbahrami]

2. we also don't realize

how much noise pollution we suffer in our daily (onshore city) lives.

Oh, how I could really use a quiet "day in the country" ...

[DUlover2909]

3. All the whales need is little more good ol' ROCK N ROLL!!!

If they'd learn to rock out then everything would be fine.

[Nihil]

4. K & R (n/t)

:cry:

[Cults4Bush]

5. I wonder what kind of questions our grandkids will ask...

about when whales were still alive.

[dreamnightwind]

6. Aaarrgh!

Marked for later reading. This issue makes me really mad. Also (maybe the article covers this, dunno yet) there was a recent supreme court ruling in the Navy's favor regarding whether or not to restrict their use of long-range sonar due to its (disputedly) deadly effect on whales. It's a really horrible death these animals suffer when they're too close to the sonar source.

We see whales all the time out here, and never get tired of it, truly an amazing lifeform to be cruising around out there.

[The2ndWheel]

7. Add to that, now we want to harness the energy of the ocean to power our economic activity

But since it's green and clean, I'm sure there won't be a problem.

[melm00se]

8. the world would be a much better place

without humans

[JohnAB]

9. what more can we not do

my we each and everyone ask the question?

what more can we not do!

what seeds do we strewn

harm or good

human nature or nature

pain or greatness

the most melancholy of human reflections
perhaps is that on the whole

it is a question whether the benevolence of mankind does most harm or good .

DO GOOD.

John