More than 60,000 ships cross the Strait of Gibraltar each year, making it one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world and a major source of underwater noise pollution that can interfere with communication between marine mammals.
A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology found that long-finned pilot whales increase the volume of their calls as ocean noise rises, but not enough to fully compensate. This limitation could make it harder for members of the same group to reunite after deep dives in search of food, potentially disrupting social behaviour and coordination. The research highlights a fundamental constraint – marine mammals can only increase the loudness of their calls within the limits of their physiology. Ultimately, it is up to humans to reduce the noise we introduce into the oceans.
Read study: Pilot whales shout louder to be heard over noise
