Energy companies in the Gulf of Mexico use seismic airguns to explore for oil and gas. The extremely powerful low-frequency sound waves they generate blanket the entire sea area, and when combined with shipping noise, form a dense underwater “sound barrier.” This noise has severely disrupted the normal communication of the endangered Risso’s dolphins, making it difficult for them to forage and mate. This has directly led to a decline in breeding success and a lower survival rate for calves, further exacerbating the survival crisis facing this endangered species.
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