Sonic blasts from oil exploration threaten critically endangered Rice's whales in the Gulf of Mexico

Summary

An article about Rice's whales, a critically endangered species with fewer than 100 individuals remaining in the Gulf of Mexico. It highlights how sonic blasts from oil and gas exploration (using air guns) are a major threat to the whales, as the low-frequency blasts overlap with the frequency of the whales' communication calls. The Gulf of Mexico is described as one of the noisiest bodies of water in the U.S., exacerbating the danger to this rare species.