Middle East conflicts a danger for whales off S.Africa: study
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LONDON: A recent study reveals that Middle East conflicts are creating an unintended ecological crisis for whales off South Africa. Researchers found that rerouting global sea traffic away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal since late 2023 has significantly increased ship strike risks.
As vessels avoid high-risk zones like the Strait of Hormuz currently paralyzed by conflict average daily commercial traffic around southern Africa has doubled.
This shift has forced massive shipping fleets into globally significant whale habitats. High-speed traffic, which poses the greatest danger, has increased fourfold. Whales often fail to adapt to this sudden influx, sometimes merely sinking below the surface rather than fleeing loud noises.
Experts suggest that moving shipping lanes just a few miles further offshore could reduce strike exposure by up to 50% for certain species. Authorities are now exploring AI-enabled cameras and mobile alerts to mitigate these deadly collisions.
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