Monday = RIMPAC exercises end and another whale strands itself on Molokai beach. Think they’re related?
“Any statements implicating sonar or RIMPAC activities are premature and speculative,” said spokesman Mark Matsunaga.
Star-Bulletin story: http://starbulletin.com/2008/07/30/news/story09.html
“Obviously I feel that there may be a correlation because, for one thing, this type of whale stranding does occur for a variety reasons. This particular type of whale has consistently been associated with stranding related to the Navy’s sonar all around the world,” said Paul Achitoff, attorney with the Earthjustice office in Hawaii, adding, “So when one happens while the Navy is using its sonar … it’s obviously something that should raise concern among any objective person.”
but there was only ONE whale stranded. so mabe it was otherwise sick, or it was a loner who died of loneliness? I love the “scientific” analysis you repeat: ” ‘This particular type of whale has consistently been associated with stranding related to the Navy’s sonar all around the world,’ said Paul Achitoff, attorney with the Earthjustice…” That’s an impartial and therefore highly trustworthy source if I ever heard one. Must be a scientist as well as a noted attorney.
We know that sonar impacts cetaceans. This is well-established science which the Navy confirms. The question is whether sonar was the cause of death for THIS cetacean. We may never know the answer to that for sure.
We DO know that whales face myriad threats and impacts from anthropogenic activities. This recent stranding is another indication that whales are reacting to and feeling that impact–whether it is sonar, other factors, or a combination thereof.
This is the eighth cetacean stranding this year. That’s more than one a month.
Our conclusion? We should proceed with precaution in expanding activities that we KNOW to be damaging.