Ever since I read War of the Whales, I’ve been a passionate supporter of the NRDC, which has taken on the case of the whales. Here’s their latest victory, which “limits” Navy “sonar testing” i.e., the horrendous high intensity sound torture that penetrates the extremely sensitive ears of these beautiful beings who depend on their sense of hearing much more than we humans do.
Here’s the press release NDRC sent out.
Court Rules Navy War Games Violate Law Protecting Whales and Dolphins
What’s at stake: Excerpt:
Under its five-year plan for training and testing, the Navy is permitted to harm whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals nearly 9.6 million times while conducting high-intensity sonar exercises and underwater detonations. These harmful impacts include millions of instances of temporary hearing loss and significant disruptions in vital behaviors, such as habitat abandonment, as well as permanent hearing loss, permanent injury and more than 150 deaths.
Ocean noise is one of the biggest threats worldwide to the health and well-being of marine mammals, which rely on sound to ‘see’ their world. Navy sonar activities, shipping noise, and seismic exploration by oil and gas companies have made our oceans noisier in recent decades, resulting in widespread disruption to feeding, communication, mating, and more.
And here’s NBC’s greenwashed take on it, featuring the Navy’s p.r. palaver.
