Excess noise in the Arctic

2000/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ingurumena

The sailing whales that live in the Arctic region of Canada are decreasing mainly due to fishing and chemical pollution, but perhaps also to noise. Since the industrialization of the Arctic, the residence of the sailing whales has become noisy with the passage of the ships. Several researchers have measured the noise of a icebreaker ship in the subsoil and have simulated by computer its possible influence on the ear of whales. The results indicate that 14 kilometers from the boat the noise can confuse the behavior of the whales and that if they are listening to a vessel that is 20 minutes to 4 kilometers, it can damage the ear. For their part, the managers of the coastal zone have indicated that the noise leaves very far from the whales, since the passage of the veil through the inhabited areas of the whales does not require the presence of icebreaker ships.