Torturing Sea Mammals with Sound    [23-12-2011] Did you know that sea animals are suffering from noise made by human activity in the ocean? Military testing of weapons and combat exercises make very loud noise. Believing that the world under the sea is silent is a common misconception. Over the past 50 years, sound intensity underwater has gone up 20 decibels on average. Noise pollution has devastating consequences for wildlife in the sea. “Sound is what whales and dolphins communicate with,” said Mark Simmonds, the international director of science at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS)고래 및 돌고래 보호협회. “For them, hearing is as important as vision is for us. If there is too much noise, they probably can’t communicate well.” Whales and dolphins can communicate with each other from dozens of kilometers away. This underwater sonar communication helps them orient themselves, find food, and reproduce. A small boat traveling very slowly through shallow waters can be enough to disturb the line of communication between two dolphin pods. Pilot whales are much more sensitive to mechanic noises. The danger increases when companies are drilling for oil or shooting bombs and bullets into the sea. The European Union is working on a direct way to reduce noise levels in European waters. They hope to inspire other large, influential groups to follow their example.     출처: 어린이 영자신문 키즈타임즈 (www.kidstimes.net)