Narwhals Fall Silent as Arctic Shipping Noise Threatens Calving Grounds
A new study reveals that increased vessel traffic in the Arctic is causing narwhals to cease communication and foraging, raising concerns about the long-term health of these iconic marine mammals and the Indigenous communities that depend on them.
the Arctic is experiencing a surge in shipping activity, driven by industrial operations and a growing tourism industry. Conservation organizations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have mapped critical Arctic “blue corridors” – pathways used by marine mammals – and shared this data with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to encourage responsible shipping practices.While existing IMO guidelines call for mariners to exercise caution around sensitive habitats, advocates argue that greater awareness of whale presence is crucial for effective mitigation.
Researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Oceans North recently completed a multi-year study in Eclipse Sound, Nunavut, Canada, a vital summer calving ground for a distinct population of narwhals. Thier findings, published this month, demonstrate a startling response to ship noise: narwhals simply go silent when vessels approach.
“These animals are hearing and responding to ships from distances much further than we would have predicted,” explained Joshua Jones, a study author. “We learned that narwhals go quiet or move away when a ship is within about 20 kilometers of the site.” The silence isn’t merely a change in behavior; it’s linked to a disruption in essential activities.
According to Alex Ootoowak, an Inuk hunter who collaborated on the research, the narwhals also stopped feeding.”They stopped doing their deep dives to the bottom to feed during a ship transit,” Ootoowak stated.This interruption in foraging poses a important threat to the animals’ energy reserves and overall health.
The increased vessel traffic in Eclipse Sound is largely attributed to industrial shipping supporting the Mary River Mine, an iron ore operation on Baffin Island run by Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. The area is also seeing a rise in tourism, with approximately 30 cruise ships visiting annually – a dramatic increase from previous years. “Our waters are a lot louder than they traditionally were,” Ootoowak observed.
The consequences extend beyond the narwhals themselves. indigenous communities in Canada and Greenland have relied on narwhal hunts for generations to sustain families and navigate the high cost of living in the region. Disruptions to narwhal populations directly threaten food security and cultural practices.
Adding to the concern, communities in Greenland are now reporting sightings of “foreign narwhals” – animals exhibiting behaviors and characteristics consistent with those of narwhals from other populations. This suggests the animals are abandoning their traditional calving grounds in search of quieter waters, potentially disrupting the delicate balance of the Arctic ecosystem.
The situation underscores the urgent need for concrete measures to mitigate the impacts of vessel traffic. Without intervention, experts warn that underwater noise will continue to harm whales, fish, crustaceans, and the communities that depend on them.
This story originally appeared on Inside climate News.
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Why is this happening? Increased vessel traffic in the Arctic, driven by industrial operations (like the Mary River Mine) and tourism, is generating significant underwater noise pollution. This noise is disrupting the natural behaviors of narwhals, causing them to cease communication and foraging.
Who is affected? The primary species affected are narwhals, particularly the population that calves in Eclipse Sound, Nunavut, Canada. However, the impacts extend to Indigenous communities in Canada and Greenland who rely on narwhal hunts for sustenance and cultural practices, as well as other marine life like fish and crustaceans. Researchers from
