Randomized trial assesses behavioural responses to shipping noise in harbour seals, indicating noise impact.
Key Points
This study aims to evaluate how harbour seals alter their behaviour in response to shipping noise.
Collected data using biologging tags (DTags) that record noise and behavioural parameters.
Classified vessel passes and assessed behavioural changes in seals within a 15-min window post-event.
Devised binomial response variable for behaviour changes based on six categories.
Seals exhibited behavioural changes in 30% of noise events (pvalue ≤ 0.01).
Higher noise levels significantly increased the likelihood of behavioural change (pvalue ≤ 0.01).
More behavioural changes occurred during sleep than foraging, with a noted decrease in response linked to increased prey capture attempts (pvalue ≤ 0.01).
Cite This Study
Wynn-Simmonds et al. (2026) studied this question.