The damage caused to animals by noise pollution

Noise caused by human activities has a devastating impact on animal lives. noise pollution it heavily interferes with terrestrial and marine fauna, altering their habits and abilitiesSpecifically, the “behaviors, cognition, and mating” of many species are being modified.

NOISE POLLUTION ANIMAL DAMAGE

This is what emerges from several studies, some of which were published in the journal Proceedings Proceedings of the Royal Society BAmong the most endangered habits are the mating practices of different species. Noise can dissuade individuals from approaching each other, an impediment that in the long run risks affecting the way a species evolves, develops, and adapts over time.

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EFFECTS OF NOISES ON ANIMALS

The researchers, to establish the influence of thenoise pollution They tested the animals in different conditions. Some were tested in silence, others with recorded sounds of cars passing 20 meters away. In one of the studies, the zebra finches, usually very active songbirds. This species, in the test with city noise, saw a significant decrease in vocal activity. Furthermore, birds subjected to sound stress they have lost much of their ability to orient themselves, so much so that they cannot find the food placed in colored containers and have to imitate their 'companions' to manage to exit the cage from the only open side.

EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION ON ANIMALS

“These are birds,” he explained. Christopher Templeton, lead author of the study and an assistant professor at the University of the Pacific in Oregon – live in large colonies and communicate constantly, creating quite a ruckus. We didn't expect such a powerful effect on their abilities: surprisingly, the noise of the cars was enough to seriously put them in difficulty”.

NOISE POLLUTION AND NESTING

Noise pollution affects nesting. A study on Italian zebra finches revealed the extent of this damage to the birds. Specifically, eggs exposed to constant traffic noise were 19 percent less likely to hatch, and newborn birds grew more slowly. Exposure to urban noise reduces birds' reproductive capacity, especially during gestation.

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