Ships Avoiding Middle East Conflict Is Bad News For Whales Along South Africa’s Coast

Due to the Middle East conflict, commercial ships are rerouting around the region, increasing the risk of whale-ship collisions off the South African coast. The shift in shipping routes due to Houthi attacks has exacerbated the problem. Quantifying the impact of this collision risk is difficult due to ‘cryptic mortality’, highlighting the need for more data and solutions.