Minke Whale Acoustic Experiments Suspended

Researchers hang suspended their realizing to take as many as 12 wild minke whales in the Lofoten Islands blueprint of northern Norway as phase of an experiment — partially funded by the US authorities — to glimpse how whale brains respond to ocean noise.

The glimpse didn’t test any whales, on condition that one minke escaped via a hole in the web, yet every other turned into as soon as too favorable, and a third whale that entered the netted-off blueprint turned into as soon as a humpback, fixed with Animal Welfare Institute spokeswoman Margie Fishman.

In step with Aamodt, researchers knowledgeable him that the whale had been held inner the larger half of the netted blueprint for eight hours, but escaped sooner than the animal could perchance perchance well be transferred to a salmon cage in repeat to habits the actual listening to test.

Aamodt wrote in an e mail to NOAH:

“The researcher additional acknowledged that they must journey down with a diver/ROV to survey the web to study the manner it bought out.”

In step with Susan Millward, director of the marine program for the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI):

“We are very all for the welfare of the escaped whale. We are calling on Mattilsynet to be determined that the minke whale is alive and uninjured, and to directly cease the glimpse in repeat to survey the research blueprint to resolve what came about.”

AWI is also asking Mattilsynet to expose whether a vet with expertise in whale well being and welfare is on-blueprint.

As a outcomes of the failure to take any minke whales, the glimpse has been suspended till next 365 days, Fishman mentioned.