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Science
Patrick Miller, Professor of Biology, University of St Andrews

We've discovered why some whales stop feeding in response to the sound of sonar

NATO Arctic Canary Islands

In September 2002, a number of beaked whales were stranded and killed in the Canary Islands during a NATO naval exercise. It was the first time we started to get a real understanding of the negative effects of sonar sounds on cetaceans, which includes whales, dolphins and porpoises.

But why did the noise of sonar seem to affect beaked whales in particular, rather than other species of cetacean?

In our new research, we’ve discovered that the response of each species to predators could explain why some whales and dolphins are more sensitive to this human-made noise.

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