How War and Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz Threaten a Unique Marine Ecosystem

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 02:04:00 +0200

The article describes how the fragile marine ecosystem in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Arabian Gulf is being endangered by renewed military tension and heavy shipping traffic. Beneath one of the world’s most strategic waterways lives a rare biological sanctuary, including around 7,000 dugongs and fewer than 100 nonmigratory Arabian humpback whales that cannot leave these waters. A recent two‑week ceasefire between the United States and Iran has allowed ships to begin moving again after a prolonged blockade, but it has not removed the underwater threats. Naval mines, residual military operations, and congested shipping lanes continue to create a high‑risk environment for marine life already stressed by extreme heat and salinity.

The article explains that sound is critical for whales’ survival, and underwater explosions and sonar can injure their hearing, disrupt communication, and alter feeding and diving behavior, effectively forcing periods of fasting. In the narrow strait, bla