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Norway urged to scrap unacceptable sound experiments on captured minke whales
The juvenile whales will be bombarded with noise then released into the Barents Sea
Minke whales will be herded into modified salmon sages
Credit: Steve Allen/Getty Images
More than 50 scientists and vets have demanded that Norway stop an unacceptable plan to capture twelve minke whales, attach electrodes to the fat in their necks, and bombard them with sound, with vets warning the stress could harm or even kill them.
Researchers at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment plan in the coming weeks to catch twelve juvenile whales by laying down nets across a strait in the Lofoten Islands, and herding them into modified salmon cages.
More than 50 scientists and vets from around the world have raised concerns over plans by Norway to capture and subject minke whales to hearing experiments.
The experiment will see 12 juvenile minke whales caught in nets off Lofoten, Norway, and held between two rafts for up to six hours to measure their hearing with electrodes under the skin.
The move by Norwegian researchers, which will also involve satellite tagging the minke whales before release, aims to increase understanding of how they hear, to better assess the impact of noise pollution from human activities.
But wildlife charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation has written to Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg on behalf of more than 50 experts, calling for the cancellation of the trials, warning “they are completely unacceptable from a conservation, scientific and animal welfare point of view”.
More than 50 scientists and vets from around the world have raised concerns over plans by Norway to capture and subject minke whales to hearing experiments.
The experiment will see 12 juvenile minke whales caught in nets off Lofoten, Norway, and held between two rafts for up to six hours to measure their hearing with electrodes under the skin.
The move by Norwegian researchers, which will also involve satellite tagging the minke whales before release, aims to increase understanding of how they hear, to better assess the impact of noise pollution from human activities.
But wildlife charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation has written to Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg on behalf of more than 50 experts, calling for the cancellation of the trials, warning “they are completely unacceptable from a conservation, scientific and animal welfare point of view”.