Noise Issues: Whales Shout Over Noise

Whales Shouting (0:48) Just like people in a bar or other noisy location, North American right whales increase the volume of their calls as environmental noise increases; and just like humans, at a certain point, it may become too costly to continue to shout, according to marine and acoustic scientists. Source: Penn State University and YouTube

Human Noise And Whale Communication (0:47) Whales communicate using melodic sounds or "songs" that can travel more than 100 meters. Oceangoing ships produce noise, mainly from their propellers, that interfere with the ability of whales to communicate. Other types of ships create additional layers of noise. Oil-exploration ships, for example, use reflection seismology to map the ocean floor. Research has shown that these additional noises can interfere with a whale's ability to communicate, causing confusion for the whale.