First direct measurements of behavioural responses by Cuvier's beaked whales to mid-frequency active sonar
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Authors
DeRuiter, Stacy L.
Southall, Brandon L.
Calambokidis, John
Zimmer, Walter M. X.
Sadykova, Dinara
Falcone, Erin A.
Friedlaender, Ari S.
Joseph, John E.
Moretti, David
Schorr, Gregory S.
Subjects
acoustic disturbance
avoidance response
anthropogenic noise
mid-frequency active sonar
military
Ziphius cavirostris
avoidance response
anthropogenic noise
mid-frequency active sonar
military
Ziphius cavirostris
Advisors
Date of Issue
2013
Date
Publisher
Language
Abstract
Most marine mammal strandings coincident with naval sonar exercises have
involved Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris). We recorded animal
movement and acoustic data on two tagged Ziphius and obtained the first
direct measurements of behavioural responses of this species to mid-frequency
active (MFA) sonar signals. Each recording included a 30-min playback (one
1.6-s simulated MFA sonar signal repeated every 25 s); one whale was also
incidentally exposed to MFA sonar from distant naval exercises. Whales
responded strongly to playbacks at low received levels (RLs; 89–127 dB
re 1 mPa): after ceasing normal fluking and echolocation, they swam rapidly,
silently away, extending both dive duration and subsequent non-foraging interval.
Distant sonar exercises (78–106 dB re 1 mPa) did not elicit such responses,
suggesting that context may moderate reactions. The observed responses to
playback occurred at RLs well below current regulatory thresholds; equivalent
responses to operational sonars could elevate stranding risk and reduce
foraging efficiency.
Type
Article
Description
The article of record as published may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2013.0223
Series/Report No
Department
Oceanography
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
US Navy Chief of Naval Operations, Environmental
Readiness Program
Office of Naval Research and the MASTS pooling initiative (Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland
Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011)
Office of Naval Research and the MASTS pooling initiative (Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland
Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011)
Format
Citation
DeRuiter SL, Southall BL,
Calambokidis J, Zimmer WMX, Sadykova D,
Falcone EA, Friedlaender AS, Joseph JE, Moretti
D, Schorr GS, Thomas L, Tyack PL. 2013 First
direct measurements of behavioural responses
by Cuvier’s beaked whales to mid-frequency
active sonar. Biol Lett 9: 20130223.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2013.0223
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.