Whale Deaths at Record Highs—Becoming Impossible for Researchers to Keep up with

Dozens of whales continue to be washing ashore around the U.S., and researchers are trying to figure out one question: why are all these whales dying and washing up along our shores?

There are many possible explanations for this ongoing phenomenon. Many researchers point to a shift in food habits, vessel strikes, and fish gear entanglement. But one factor may explain the rise in whale deaths: wind turbines. These turbines, ranging from 600 to 900 feet tall, are now believed to be causing “death zones.” Over 200 whale deaths have been reported in 2023, leading in New York. 

Wind turbines can cause a variety of factors that are affecting marine life, especially whales. First, these turbines produce underwater noise. Many whales rely on echolocation, allowing them to emit sound waves that bounce off an object to understand its distance and size. Due to the low-frequency noise generated from the turbine, whale echolocation becomes impaired, ultimately disrupting the whales’ normal behavior. 

Another factor due to wind turbines is the physical interactions caused between the infrastructure and the whales. Certain parts of the turbine, including the foundation or subsea cables, can cause entanglement or collisions, leading to injuries and death. 

While no significant research has proven the severity of these turbines, researchers continue to discover new information daily. Some point to climate change and pollution as critical factors to whale deaths.

“Knowing that climate change affects all parts of the environment, I think we need to be more concerned about it [than] other factors like wind turbines,” Good Counsel sophomore Christopher Ai said.

 We also know that infectious diseases like morbillivirus, which cause severe pneumonia and debilitation, are highly infectious among whales, often leading to death. 

“It’s such a tragedy to see all these whales washing up because of potential harm from humans. Whether it be the wind turbines, pollution, or climate change, we need to help these animals,” Walt Whitman junior Sasha Liderman said.

Many are also pushing towards the immediate investigation into the cause of these deaths. It is an unfortunate tragedy that scientists research every day. 

Article Written by Romina Mofrad of Walt Whitman High School