Middle East War Is Putting South Africa's Whales in Deadly Danger, New Study Warns
Whales off South Africa’s southwestern coast are now at greater risk of being struck by ships, and researchers say the Middle East war is to blame.
Source: Facebook
A paper presented to the International Whaling Commission this month warns that surging ship traffic rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope is pushing vessels directly into whale habitats. Al Jazeera reported on the findings on 11 May 2026.
The sharp rise in sea traffic began after Houthi rebels hijacked a ship near Yemen in late 2023. The ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz then pushed even more vessels onto the southern Africa route.
Whale territory is now a busy highway
The numbers tell a stark story. Between March and April this year, an average of 89 commercial vessels sailed around southern Africa daily. That is double the 44 ships recorded over the same period in 2023.
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University of Pretoria researcher Els Vermeulen says the overlap between shipping lanes and whale habitats is extensive. Ship strikes are already a leading cause of whale deaths worldwide, and most collisions go unreported.
Experts say the fix does not have to be complicated. Pushing traffic lanes slightly further offshore could cut collision risk by up to 50% for some species. That detour would add only about 20 nautical miles to voyages already stretching over 10,000 nautical miles.
Shipping giant MSC has already rerouted vessels near Greece and Sri Lanka to protect whales. Researchers are now calling for similar action off South Africa’s coast before more animals are killed.
See the report here.
Source: Briefly News
