Ear-splitting sonar

A mass stranding of whales and dolphins in the Bahamas in March has been
linked to underwater noises made by the US Navy. Marine mammal specialists who
examined the animals say that haemorrhages in and around their ears suggest that
they became disoriented after a very loud noise. While low-frequency naval sonar
has been suspected of harming whales in the past, this is the first time
mid-level frequencies, commonly used by battleships, have attracted attention.
“This is an obvious red flag that these systems have to be thoroughly reviewed,”
says Andrew Wetzler of the Natural Resources Defense Council in Los…