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Sonar blamed for beached whales { July 23 2004 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7521-2004Jul22.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7521-2004Jul22.html Sonar to Blame for Beached Whales, Report Says Reuters Friday, July 23, 2004; Page A30 ROME, July 22 -- Sonar used by the military to spot enemy submarines is to blame for the increasing number of whales stranding themselves on beaches and dying, the scientific committee of the International Whaling Commission said in a report Thursday. The IWC report adds weight to theories that sonar harms the giant sea mammals, a hypothesis that has been disputed by the military and by the oil and gas industry, which uses the technology to search for energy reserves. "There is now compelling evidence implicating military sonar as a direct impact on beaked whales in particular," said the report released at the IWC's four-day annual convention. The report cited examples of bizarre and self-destructive whale behavior that seemed to have been caused by military sonar, such as a mass stampede of 200 melon-headed whales into shallow water in Hawaii earlier this month during a U.S.-Japanese naval training exercise. One animal died. One theory of scientists is that the noise disrupts whales' communication and navigation systems. Another is that the signals confuse whales in deep water, forcing them to surface quickly, causing rapid decompression and a form of the bends. The report may strengthen the hand of conservation groups that are threatening to sue the U.S. Navy over its use of mid-frequency sonar. The Natural Resources Defense Council has already secured an injunction limiting the U.S. Navy's use of new low-frequency sonar that can travel vast distances through the oceans and is now targeting the more common mid-frequency sonar. © 2004 The Washington Post Company

autos elf forests global-warming katrina-hurricane-2005 pollution whales-beachings All purpose cleanser for hippies health enthusiasts { December 3 2007 } Another earth Bill chill florida as farms replace wetlands Bush administration deregulates wetlands Bush supports dam { August 23 2003 } Caribbean coral suffers record death { March 30 2006 } Crimes against nature rfk Deep sea fish wiped out Democrat energy bill nightmare Dicaprio { August 12 2002 } Dolphin beachings came after sub excercises Environ bush split { June 3 2002 } Epa decides golf courses better than wetlands { October 31 2003 } Epa nominee is approved { October 28 2003 } Epa scraps changes to clean water act { December 17 2003 } Extinctions feared for many marine species { August 24 2005 } Federal lands Fight persists between tap and bottle drinking water Gop senates push energy bill { July 28 2003 } How green is bp { December 8 2002 } Humanity will pay Humans living far beyond the planets means Hydrogen fuel cells no solution { August 18 2003 } Iceberg antartica { May 21 2002 } Jeb asks why hurricanes keep hitting florida { October 19 2005 } Judge ruling hurts wolves { February 2 2005 } National parks raise snowmobile usage limits Oxygen levels in bay disputed { July 23 2004 } Ozone hole shrinks Penguins flock to rio de janeiro { January 18 2001 } Plant extinction Plunge in big fish Possible key to ice age climate change revealed { April 15 2004 } Quarter extinction Republicans adopt democrats energy bill { August 1 2003 } Ruling scraps bush plan limits snowmobiles in yellowstone Senate votes to open alaska oil drilling Shuttle commander sees wide environmental damage Sixth mass extinction disppearing butterflies Sonar blamed for beached whales { July 23 2004 } Sun screen lotion hurting coral reefs { May 23 2008 } Technology save earth They flattened this mountaintop to find coal { January 16 2005 } Time bomb Tsunami death toll tops 226 thousand Tsunami near japan 16 inces high { October 2006 } Tsunami near japan expected over 6 ft high { October 2006 } Vapor trails { August 8 2002 } Vineyard expansion is hurting the environment { June 21 2004 } Wetlands loss blamed for freeze in florida Wind energy could provide 20perc US power { May 13 2008 } World fish supply may be exhausted by 2050 { November 3 2006 } Files Listed: 52

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