Study suggests sonar could be killing whales

This really doesnt surprise me... I have stated several times that the greatest environmental criminal on the planet is the US military.


WASHINGTON - Navy sonar may be giving whales a never-before-seen version of the illness known as "the bends," leading them to be stranded and to die, according to a new study in Thursday's edition of the scientific journal Nature.


The findings could strengthen the hand of environmental groups trying to force the world's navies to limit or stop their use of sonar during sea exercises. The U.S. Navy and the Natural Resources Defense Council this week are negotiating such limits in an effort to settle an NRDC lawsuit.


In the Nature article, scientists report finding gas bubbles in the organs and blood vessels of 10 beaked whales that stranded themselves along Spain's Canary Islands in September 2002. They beached themselves about four hours after the beginning of sonar activity nearby during an international naval exercise.


"Our findings suggest that naval sonar could be killing whales," said study co-author Antonio Fernandez, a pathology professor at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Spain. "The protection of the whales is a responsibility of everyone."


Other top whale scientists were skeptical.


Darlene Ketten, a senior whale biologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and an ear, nose and throat professor at Harvard Medical School, said whales don't get the bends.

www.realcities.com.../printstory.jsp

could this also whats killing all the giant squed?

just a thought

This just in DR....hope you like...

"Military sonar may give whales the bends"
18:21 08 October 03
Link:
www.newscientist.com...

Excerpt:

"Whales blasted by military sonar appear to die of the bends. The finding suggests the use of sound waves to detect submarines under the sea might need to be restricted.

Scientists from Spain and Britain have uncovered the first evidence that cetaceans suffer from the formation of nitrogen bubbles in their vital organs. This is a classic symptom of the decompression sickness suffered by divers who surface too quickly, and can be fatal.

Lesions caused by bubbles were found in 14 beaked whales stranded in the Canary Islands after sonars were used in a major international naval exercise on 24 September 2002. "Our findings suggest that naval sonar could be killing whales," says Antonio Fern�ndez, a veterinary pathologist from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The exercise was hosted by Spain and involved naval forces from US, the UK and other European countries. Whales started being washed up four hours after sonars were switched on."


regards
seekerof