airgun

The oceans surrounding Antarctica are among the few regions in the world where there is little underwater noise caused by human activities. An UBA study shows that the scientific use of airguns can emit noise in to this sanctuary at distances of 2000 kilometres which may reduce the naturally available communication range of blue and fin whales to as little as 1%.

Whales and seals depend on their sense of hearing for survival. Man-made underwater sounds can impair their hearing in both the short and long term, displace them from vital habitats, cause a change in important patterns of behaviour and thereby deteriorate the survival capacity of these marine mammals.