Whale Project in Lofoten Resumes After Death of a Whale

The research project which is to map the hearing of baleen whales has resumed its activities after a minke whale died in Lofoten, Northern Norway, on the 3rd of June, reports the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI).

The research facility consists of nets which are to lead the minke whales into a test pool. Here, the researchers will measure which sounds the whale perceives before the whale is marked and set free. The aim is to protect whales against human-made noise.

When the researchers prepared for this year's testing, the facility was damaged by storms and unusually strong tidal currents. A 100-kg anchor was dragged 70-80 meters out of position. One of the nets was therefore left hanging freely in the water. A whale got stuck on the underside of this net and drowned.

"This whale was not caught by us and it did not die as a result of the hearing tests as the animal rights organization NOAH has claimed," says FFI researcher Petter Kvadsheim and calls the death a result of special and unfortunate circumstances.

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