Whale Song 4
2024
Woodcut
ENQUIRE
In Shetland we occasionally get hump backed whales pass by during migration and I have been close to them a few times. Scientists think the males stay silent when they are subjected to the noise of our oceans particularly busy shipping lanes, intense sonar as used by the oil industry and during military exercises. Whales depend on sonar for communication and feeding and there are theories mass strandings of whales in some locations are caused by the deafening noise of increased solar activity, with the whales fleeing for their lives. When we silence the whales, we simultaneously silence ourselves.