Endangered Whales Live in Area Earmarked for Gas Exploration
Published:26 Dec.2023 Source:University of Exeter
Endangered whales and dolphins live year-round in an area of the Mediterranean earmarked for oil and gas exploration, new research shows. Various cetacean species are known to inhabit the Hellenic Trench off Greece in the summer, but until now little has been known about their winter whereabouts. This lack of information has been used to justify seismic surveys (which may harm whales and dolphins) in winter. The new study found that at least four species -- including the regionally endangered sperm whale -- live in the deep waters of the Hellenic Trench in both summer and winter.
The Mediterranean is one of the busiest seas on the planet, and whales and dolphins are already threatened by ship strikes, overfishing, bycatch (accidental catching), pollution with chemicals and plastics, and climate change. Noise is also a key threat. Certain whale species, for example the Cuvier's beaked whales, are known to be particularly vulnerable to human-made noise, which comes from sources including ship engines, military sonar and 'air guns' used to survey for oil and gas. These combined threats could affect populations of whales and dolphins that rely on the Hellenic Trench as key habitat.