Underwater fiber optic cables could turn the ocean into an orca early warning system

Published on 24 April 2026

Whale calls may reveal how ships and scarcity hit orcas

Researchers in the Salish Sea are repurposing miles of existing underwater fiber-optic cables into a huge listening network using Distributed Acoustic Sensing. The system can detect orca vocalizations, helping scientists track how the whales respond to ship traffic, dwindling food, and climate-related changes. If proven, it could reshape conservation monitoring far beyond one region.

Fiber-optic cables are being used as underwater microphones for orcas
Distributed Acoustic Sensing can capture whale vocalizations across long distances
Scientists will measure responses to ships, food scarcity, and climate stress
The approach could scale up conservation monitoring worldwide

#ocean conservation #orcas #wildlife monitoring #fiber optics #climate change

Read the full story at The Economic Times

This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on The Economic Times

Underwater fiber optic cables could turn the ocean into an orca early warning system

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