Hydro-Help for Whales
Rare whales in the northern Atlantic have been buoyed by some good news - they're going to stop being shredded by ships' propellers. Lindsey Nield weighs anchor and finds out how you can stop a 90,000 tonne tanker in its tracks by making a noise like a submerged Robin Reliant.
Imagine you’re a whale. You’re swimming along, minding your own business - catching some food, singing a little song - when out of nowhere this giant ship crashes into you. If you were a North Atlantic right whale that could be exactly the situation you would find yourself in.
Right whales live along the east coast of America and every winter and spring many of them congregate in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, 25 miles east of Boston Harbor. Getting to the Sanctuary is a dangerous business since it bisects the official shipping lanes used by around 1,500 ships each year.
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| Right whale + tanker = a |