In 2000, 17 whales stranded on beaches in the
Bahamas following U.S. Navy sonar exercises. Beaked whales appear to be
especially sensitive to sonar. Hypothesized causes for the strandings
include stress,
disorientation, hearing loss, or disruption of foraging. The U.S. Navy
has acknowledged that sonar may cause beaked whales to strand
and is funding research to determine how sonar affects these whales.
(Photo by Nan Hauser, The Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation)[back]
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