Wildlife Welfare

Marine Mammal Noise Pollution Welfare

Anthropogenic noise from shipping, sonar, and industrial activity causes significant welfare harm to marine mammals through behavioral disruption and injury.

Key Facts

Military sonar has been linked to mass strandings of beaked whales since the 1990s
Shipping noise masks communication and echolocation in whales and dolphins
Chronic noise exposure causes stress responses measurable in whale stress hormones from fecal samples
Quieter ship propeller designs significantly reduce underwater noise output
International Maritime Organization guidelines on underwater noise are voluntary and inconsistently adopted

Welfare Considerations

Ocean noise pollution is an invisible welfare crisis for marine mammals that depend on sound for communication, navigation, and hunting. Reducing anthropogenic noise is both technically feasible and urgently needed for cetacean welfare.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for mandatory shipping noise reduction standards
Advocate for military sonar restrictions in cetacean-sensitive areas
Choose shipping companies with noise reduction commitments when applicable