Science devices used to study whales that were once thought to be harmless might not be so noninvasive.
What's happening?
A study published in the journal Communications Biology has revealed that narwhals in Greenland are repeatedly colliding with passive acoustic monitoring devices.
The researchers documented up to 11 collisions per day, showing narwhals bumping or striking the underwater sensors as if inspecting prey or reacting to an unfamiliar object.
The findings stunned marine scientists because PAM devices have become a backbone of whale research worldwide.
Using the technology has long been considered a way to listen without disturbing. But this evidence suggests the devices may be negatively affecting the animals they're meant to unobtrusively observe.
Why is whale research important?
Understanding how whales and other animals behave is essential to protecting them. This is especially important as their environments change. Warming ocean waters are altering migration patterns and accelerating extinction risks.
If the tools scientists use disrupt natural behavior, researchers may be unintentionally adding stress to species already under pressure.
As the researchers wrote: "Understanding animals' interaction with industrial and scientific infrastructure can help reduce impacts on wild animals and improve our ability to implement and interpret autonomous field observations."
These findings echo concerns raised in other research. Scientists studying South Africa's threatened sardine run have warned that marine systems are deteriorating so rapidly that it can feel "like we're just documenting extinction" as regular migrations decline.
Other work has shown fish species worldwide now face significantly higher extinction risks than previously understood, showing how every environmental stressor matters.
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Absolutely 👍 What's being done about whale research?
The good news is that researchers are already rethinking how to design marine monitoring systems that minimize interference. The team behind the narwhal study suggests redesigning PAM devices to be quieter, smaller, and less visually or acoustically interesting to whales.
Future studies may also position sensors farther from high-traffic whale paths or use floating or camouflaged housings to blend into the environment.
Supporting policies that reduce ocean noise, backing marine sanctuaries, and choosing seafood from sustainable sources are meaningful ways to take help aquatic animals.
Reducing plastic use also cuts down on ocean debris, which poses an even more direct threat to whales and other marine mammals.
As this narwhal study makes clear, protecting ocean life requires constant recalibration, even from the scientists who know best.
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