Human-generated ocean noise from shipping, seismic surveys and military sonar causes disorientation, injury and death in whales and other cetaceans. It is one of the most widespread and underappreciated marine welfare threats.
Whales exposed to intense naval sonar develop gas embolism and decompression-like injuries from panicked ascents — a physiologically traumatic welfare event that precedes stranding and death. Chronic shipping noise forces whales to vocalise at higher amplitudes, increasing energetic costs and reducing communication efficiency. Noise reduction — slower shipping speeds, quieter propeller designs, seismic survey exclusion zones — provides direct welfare benefit at scale.