I'm listening to it right now.
"Ships’ noise hinders whale communication" by Beth Daley |
Globe Staff, August 16, 2012
Anyone who lives near a busy highway can sympathize with the North
Atlantic right whale: Research released Wednesday shows the leviathans
off New England’s coast are subject to such a constant undersea din it
is difficult for them to hear each other most of the time.
It is a hazard that could be hindering the critically endangered
species’ ability to navigate, avoid predators, and care for calves.
Global trade and the cruise industry have brought more, larger, and
noisier ships to the region, resulting in the whales losing about
two-thirds of their ability to communicate with each other compared with
about 50 years ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration-led paper found. The estimated 450 right whales left in
the world are believed to use their ethereal moans, whoops, and whistles
to....
--more--"
Related: Judge gives Navy OK to train near right whales
