Answer
Whales detect their enemy, food (small fishes), and obstacles using sound waves.The sound waves generated by the sonar affect the foraging time of the whales and they lose their fitness.
Work Step by Step
The results suggested that the whale was foraging for almost 30 minutes per hour at a depth of 100–180 meters into the ocean before the sound exposure. Upon exposure to a sound wave, the whale stopped foraging or its foraging time reduced to less than 5 minutes. It remained close to the surface of the ocean and took only shallow dives thereafter.
A long-term exposure to sound waves can affect the health of whales, as their foraging time would be reduced. The artificial sound waves would interfere with their own sound waves, which they use for communicating with mates or avoiding any obstacle. This would ultimately lead to their poor health and low production of offspring.
