Humans disturbing whales and dolphins may stop them eating enough to keep calves alive, say researchers
Updated: 06/02/2021, 1:14 pm
The research was published in Conservation Physiology from Aberdeen University.
New research from Aberdeen scientists has revealed dolphins and whales may not have enough energy to eat properly to keep their calves alive if they are disturbed by human activities.
The research by Aberdeen University and the Technical University of Denmark shows that the way energy is handled by sea mammals has radically changed.
It has also found that the metabolic changes that allowed whales and dolphins to adapt to their aquatic lifestyle have implications on how we should assess the impact of human activities on their conservation.