Scientists are warning that changes to global shipping routes due to the war in Iran could create a hidden wave of whale deaths as vessels sail around Africa’s southern tip for trade between Europe and Asia. Researchers say the danger stems from what they call “cryptic mortality”: whale deaths that occur far from shore or sink undetected, making them difficult to count and potentially masking the true scale of harm to populations. The warning follows new research reported Monday that found cargo traffic around South Africa’s southern coastline has increased as shipping companies reroute vessels to avoid instability and attacks in Middle Eastern waterways.
(Graphic by Grace Hagerman / Washington Examiner)
Ships were already using the alternate route around the Cape of Good Hope after Houthi rebels attacked a British-owned vessel near Yemen, but the Iran war, which led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has made the situation worse.
The number of ships sailing around the cape between March and April this year has doubled that in 2023, from 44 ships to 89.
Scientists say the changes raise the risk of ship strikes, one of the leading causes of whale deaths worldwide.
