The Unsoothing Song

Great Lakes Freighter on the St Mary's River

I am one of twenty percent of all people who experiences tinnitus, the perception of sound in the ears where no external source is present. (a) Most of the time, the tinnitus doesn’t bother me but after experiencing a rash of ear infections this past summer, the noise is more pronounced especially at night.

Although I love music, the sound of rain pounding on the roof, the trees rustling in the wind, the ability to hear does not rate high as one of my favorite senses. I am particularly sensitive to loud sounds: televisions turned on too loud, firecrackers, cars without mufflers or the ever present booming of radios from cars at intersections. Quiet is my mantra.

So when I read an article in today’s New York Times about hearing loss in marine animals, my interest was pique. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is documenting manmade noise in the ocean. The eventual purpose of the information gathered is to determine the impact of noise on marine life.

Unlike sunlight that can penetrate only the shallow surface of the ocean, sound waves can travel hundreds of miles before dissipating. That ability allows for submarines to operate in deep waters and oil and gas companies to perform deep sea explorations. Add the volume of commercial shipping fleets crossing the oceans and that is a whole lot of noise.

Can you imagine what it must be like to be bombarded continually with outside noise? Unlike people, whales, fish, invertebrates do not have the ability to insert ear plugs to deaden the sound. Their choice is to move to quieter habitats, if available, or tolerate the noise. Studies performed by the U.S. Navy estimate that more than 250,000 animals are injured annually by their sonar activity. (b)

Many marine creatures rely upon vocalization to forage and breed. As the oceans become noisier, will these animals be able to adapt? Or will there be evidence of profound deafness that will result in a reduction in the population through reduced breeding and inability to find food? Are there ways we can reduce the level of noise from human activity that will alleviate the problem underwater?

We are familiar with the whale songs, whose mournful tunes are haunting and beautiful. It would be a shame that the whale is forced into silence; first for the impact on its own survival and second for the pleasure that their songs bring to the world. To not enjoy this soothing sound of nature would be such a loss for all of us.

(a)   American Tinnitus Association – www.ata.org
(b)   A Rising Tide of Noise is Now Easy to See, William J Broad, New York Times, 12/10/12, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/11/science/project-seeks-to-map-and-reduce-ocean-noise-pollution.html?_r=0