why are the blue whales going silent

why are the blue whales going silent

18 hours ago 7
Nature

Blue whales are going silent primarily due to severe food scarcity caused by recent marine heatwaves that have drastically disrupted their food supply, mainly krill and small fish like anchovy. This scarcity makes the whales too exhausted and underfed to sing, as vocalizing requires energy and breath that the whales must conserve just to survive by searching for food. The marine heatwaves, including a prominent event called "The Blob," have warmed ocean waters, disrupted ocean currents, and caused massive declines in krill populations, leading to this alarming silence. The reduction in vocalizations is not voluntary but a biological necessity driven by starvation and energy conservation, resulting in blue whales singing about 40% less than before in affected regions like the eastern North Pacific. In addition to starvation, noise pollution and changes in whale population density also impact whale songs, but the dominant factor for the recent silence is food scarcity caused by disrupted marine ecosystems due to climate change-driven heatwaves. Blue whale songs play a vital role in communication for mating and social connection, so their silence signals deeper ecological troubles in the ocean. This phenomenon has alarmed scientists because it reflects a breakdown in the ocean's acoustic environment and the health of marine ecosystems, pointing to the severe impacts of climate change on the largest animals on Earth and their habitats.

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