Increased shipping traffic around South Africa due to Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz disruptions has raised the risk of collisions between vessels and whales, reported California's Mongabay Conservation News.

A new study analysed six whale species in near- and offshore waters and found significant overlap between whale habitats and shipping lanes. Researchers said urgent action is needed to reduce strikes.

In April, two Bryde's whales washed up dead on Dyer Island with shattered vertebrae and propeller wounds. Loraine Shuttleworth of the Dyer Island Conservation Trust said the injuries clearly indicated vessel strikes.

Shipping traffic through South African waters has quadrupled since late 2023, with vessels travelling at speeds above 15 knots. Scientist Els Vermeulen of the University of Pretoria said the scale of traffic prompted her team to investigate the risks.

Ms Vermeulen presented findings to the International Whaling Commission, showing overlap between vessel movements and whale habitats. She said increased vessel presence in whale areas is enough to confirm a problem.

The South African government, IMO and scientists are now working on guidelines for ships, including speed restrictions and alternative routes. Ms Vermeulen said measures used in the Northern Hemisphere, such as 10-knot limits, could be adapted locally.

Whale populations are recovering after decades of protection, with humpback supergroups gathering in the Benguela Upwelling System. But more whales and more ships in the same waters increase collision risks, threatening vulnerable species such as southern right, fin and blue whales.

She said speed limits could be implemented immediately, while further research is needed to identify safer routes. She added that human-wildlife conflict is complex, as recovering whale populations coincide with rising shipping traffic.