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A recent study has found that the risk of collisions between whales and ships has increased as more vessels are rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa, instead of passing through the Strait of Hormuz, due to conflicts in the Middle East.

According to AFP on May 12 (local time), researchers from the University of Pretoria in South Africa presented a report at a recent International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting, stating that since the end of 2023, ships avoiding the Red Sea and the Suez Canal have concentrated in the southwestern waters of South Africa, causing significant overlap between whale habitats and shipping routes.

The southwestern coast of South Africa, where the Cape of Good Hope is located, is a globally important habitat for major whale populations. Since November 2023, after Yemen's Houthi rebels hijacked the British-flagged cargo ship "Galaxy Leader" in the Red Sea, more vessels have chosen the Cape route instead of passing through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Furthermore, at the end of February this year, with the outbreak of war involving Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the number of ships rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope increased even further.

According to data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the average number of commercial vessels sailing around South Africa per day in March and April this year was 89, more than double the number during the same period last year.

The researchers warned that the sharp increase in high-speed vessels has raised the risk of collisions by nearly four times. They emphasized that the danger is heightened because whales, when busy feeding, often do not notice the approach of ships.

Representatives from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) explained, "Some species have become accustomed to ship activity and avoid them, but others have not yet adapted and are unable to do so."

There is also analysis suggesting that climate change, by altering whale migration routes and feeding patterns, has further increased the risk of collisions with ships.

The report suggested that even small changes, such as moving shipping lanes slightly farther from the coast, could reduce the risk of collisions by 20 to 50 percent.

In addition, the study mentioned that research is underway on equipping ships with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered cameras.

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