In May of this year, a four-year project will commence in Norway which will involve the live capture of minke whales to test their hearing.
A Norwegian-American team of scientists will set 1,300 metres of net across a strait by Vestvågøy island, where young minke whales are known to travel through every year on their way to feeding areas further north in the Barents Sea. The net will lead the individual whale into another area where it will remain for 24 hours before being tested to learn what kind of sounds and frequencies the whale can actually hear. This means that the animal will be confined for a couple of days before being released into the wild again.
The aim of the project is to protect such baleen whales from man-made noise, such as military sonar and seismic activities – the research is funded by the US oil and energy authorities, the fisheries authorities and the US Navy. Researchers are expecting much attention and controversy around the project as there will be many globally who are against this type of animal experiment. Marine Connection is certainly very disturbed by these plans. Minke whales often travel alone, however sometimes can be found in small pods 2-3 other of their own species, and holding a whale in a confined area will cause the animal considerable stress, furthermore, it is not clear how this will impact feeding and resting patterns while held.
Further details can be found here
