News

Seals in the waters of the UK may be deafened because of high levels of boat traffic in shipping lanes, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of St. Andrews studied 28 individuals and found that 20 seals were exposed to enough noise to cause temporary hearing loss.

“The UK has some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, and underwater noise has been increasing over the last 30 years,” Dr. Esther Jones, an ecologist at St. Andrews, told The Guardian.

The study aims to bring attention to the impact of increasing urbanization on the marine environment. The researchers hope that chronic ocean noise be considered when developing and planning marine protected areas.