Urban noise pollution: how loud city sounds harm animals – and threatens the survival of some species
- Just as noise pollution can cause health problems for people, a British study suggests that it can negatively affect animals in urban environments, too
- The University of Hong Kong is also conducting research into the impact of urban noise on bird communication in the city
The next time you rail at drivers honking their car horns, or the decorators drilling on the floors above and below your flat, spare a thought for the birds. And the fish. And the frogs. And the rest of the animal kingdom.
Noise pollution is a part of everyday life for many city dwellers and, just as studies have linked excessive noise to poor health in people, it can also have a negative impact on animals.
A study by scientists at Queen’s University Belfast, published this week in scientific journal Biology Letters, found noise pollution threatens the survival of more than 100 species of amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles.
“This study provides significant evidence that noise pollution must be considered as a serious form of man-made environmental change and pollution, illustrating how it affects many aquatic and terrestrial species,” says the study’s lead author, Dr Hansjoerg Kunc, from the British university’s school of biological sciences.
“Noise must be considered a global pollutant and we need to develop strategies to protect animals from noise for their livelihoods.”
