Human-generated noise from traffic, industry, shipping, and urban development disrupts wildlife communication, navigation, reproduction, and stress levels across terrestrial and marine environments.
Noise pollution affects wildlife welfare through multiple pathways. Chronic noise exposure elevates stress hormones, suppresses immune function, and disrupts sleep in birds and mammals. Communication interference forces animals to modify vocalisations or reduces the effective range of mating calls, affecting reproductive success. Navigation disruption affects migratory species that use sound for orientation. Acute high-intensity noise from seismic surveys and military sonar can cause physical tissue damage and has been implicated in cetacean strandings. Unlike many environmental threats, noise pollution is technically reversible — reducing emissions at source creates rapid welfare improvements. Ship speed reduction, quieter propeller designs, and noise management in protected areas are all effective interventions.