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Sonar drives whales to certain death

Jan 30, 2019

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Whales by sonar devices in a panic, they appear to be disoriented and stranded. Responsible also for the divers well-known decompression sickness, according to a new study.

Years ago, researchers at autopsy had vessels stranded whales gas bubbles in the blood and organs was found. In the worst case, the bubbles destroy tissues and cause bleeding, and the tissue cracks. The scientists suspected that the bubbles arise when the whales are startled, and then quickly from the depth arise. 21 experts have now presented in the “Royal Society Journal,” a study according to which, among other things, Cuvier’s beaked whales to decompression illness die.

“In the presence of the sonar you are stressed out and float away violently from the sound source, and change their diving patterns,” says Yara Bernaldo de Quiros, the main author of the study. She conducts research at the Institute for animal health at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. “The stress response overrides the diving response, allowing the animals to stick to accumulate the substance,” she added. “It’s like a shot of Adrenaline.”

Extended Dive Cycles

U.S. researchers had previously reported in 2017 in the journal Royal Society Open Science, that the 16 of them with transmitters equipped Cuvier’s beaked whales react strongly to sonar noise during military Exercises. To escape the noise of the sound waves, the whales no longer in the deep-dive phase, an average of 90 instead of 60 minutes.

Whales, such as this mighty sperm whale are actually perfect divers

The marine mammals are actually perfect divers can perceive by means of echolocation of prey or an enemy. During the immersion phase, the heart rate slows down, the blood circulation, the oxygen remains in the blood.

Connection between the maneuvers and Mass strandings

Above all, a kind of Sonar brings these whales out of balance: in the 1950s, for the detection of U-boats, developed in the mid-frequency active sonar (MFDS). It is used today in naval patrols and Exercises, and in particular of the United States and its NATO allies.

From about 1960 the ships began to send underwater signals in a range from about 5 Kilohertz (kHz). At the time, a Mass stranding of beaked whales began, especially in the Mediterranean sea. Between 1960 and 2004, 121 of these so-called “atypical” Mass stranding took place, of which at least 40 were temporally and spatially closely with the maneuvers.

Acoustic nightmare: especially military Sonar signals in the case of maneuvers to put whales massively

2002 stranded during a NATO exercise off the Canary Islands in just 36 hours, 14 whales. Externally, you can see nothing. They had a normal body weight and no skin changes or infections. But their veins were full of nitrogen gas bubbles and the bleeding had hurt your brain solid. The autopsy revealed further damage to other organs and to the spinal cord and the Central nervous system.

Prohibition of maneuvers in Walregionen required

Since 2004, Spain, the Navy has banned Exercises off the Canary Islands. “Until then, the Canary Islands were a Hotspot for this kind of “atypical” Beach” so the scientist Bernaldo de Quiros. “Since the Moratorium, nothing happened.”

No rescue possible: Beached sperm whale carcass on the North sea coast

The authors of the new study, called for similar bans in other regions, where endangered whales gather. The Cuvier Schnabelwal is up to seven feet tall and eat mainly squid and fish from the deep sea. The whale is classified on the Red list of endangered species of the world conservation Union ( IUCN) as “vulnerable”, and probably has a global Population of 5,000 to 7,000 animals.

What happens to beached whales?

Joint Effort

In 2017, the inhabitants of the Indonesian Aceh took care of ten sperm whales that were stranded in shallow water. Volunteers managed six of the animals back to the open sea, but four of the animals died. No one knows exactly why whales get stranded, but there are a lot of theories…
What happens to beached whales?

The leader to follow

Some species of whales live in social groups have a leader, the other animals after swimming. If the leader device close to the shore, and there, the problems gets, it can send out a distress signal. The whales that follow him, could try to help him, and even beaches. It may also be that whales get stranded while chasing prey.
What happens to beached whales?

Man-made beach landings

Another theory as to why whales get stranded, is that the Overfishing of the oceans, forcing marine mammals to find food in an unknown and potentially shallow waters, where they come out then. There is also some evidence to suggest that Sonar from ships interferes with the animals on their migrations and confused.
What happens to beached whales?

Death in the deep

When whales die in the Depths of the sea, drops her body on the ground, where he is a food source for a variety of other animals and organisms. But animals that are already in the vicinity of the coast could be washed up on the beaches, as this is a whale that showed up in Rio de Janeiro. If that happens, rotting animals on the beach. This phenomenon can create other problems.
What happens to beached whales?

An explosive reaction

Although the sun seems to be worshippers, not deter, could ruin the stench of a rotting Walkadavers many people the holiday. And the smell is not the only Problem. If one of these giants of the oceans to die and rot begins to form in his stomach gases stored under a thick layer of Blubber.
What happens to beached whales?

A sandy grave

To dispose of a whale that has been rinsed, it can be a difficult task. Because they are a danger to the public health, you can not let them on the beach to decompose. Some environmentalists say, the Best is to bury them on the beach itself, as in the case of the four whales happened, who died in Aceh.