Middle East conflictswhale conservationship strikesSouth AfricaInternational Whaling Commission
Middle East Conflicts Increase Collision Risk for Whales Off South Africa
Published: May 11, 2026
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Conflicts in the Middle East have substantially increased the danger of ship strikes for whales off South Africa, according to researchers who presented a paper to the International Whaling Commission. The rerouting of shipping around South Africa and away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal since late 2023 has heightened the risks of collision, with an average of 89 commercial vessels sailing around southern Africa between March 1 and April 24 this year, compared to 44 over the same period in 2023.
The increased traffic has amplified the chances of collisions, with environmental scientists and activists highlighting the need for protection measures. Els Vermeulen, lead researcher at the University of Pretoria's whale unit, said that the fastest traffic, which poses the greatest strike risk, has increased by a factor of four, and that the animals haven't had time to adapt to shipping.
The report presented to the International Whaling Commission suggests that modest shifts to push traffic lanes further offshore could reduce strike exposure by 20-50 percent for certain whale species. Such alternatives would only add about a negligible 20 nautical miles to journeys that sometimes exceed 10,000 nautical miles.
The South African environment ministry has stated that all available solutions and mitigation measures will be examined, and that once scientific studies and assessments have been completed, the maritime authorities will work to chart the way forward. The International Whaling Commission will likely resume discussions on the issue at its next meeting, with potential measures to protect whales off South Africa to be announced in the coming months.