Military mid-frequency active sonar has been linked to cetacean strandings and behavioral disruption, representing a significant welfare concern.
The welfare evidence linking military sonar to cetacean suffering is stronger than for many other noise sources. Beaked whale strandings associated with naval exercises show pathological evidence consistent with decompression-like injuries, suggesting affected animals experience significant pain and distress before death. The mechanisms linking sonar to whale mortality include direct acoustic trauma, behavioral responses causing rapid depth changes, and extended flight responses that exhaust animals. Sonar mitigation is technically feasible but requires military cooperation and political will.