Ballroom Music Spillover into a Beluga Whale Aquarium Exhibit

Abstract

It is not uncommon for modern aquaria to be built with special entertainment areas. There are no known measurements of sound spillover from such entertainment areas into underwater animal exhibits. Entertainment organizations typically prefer to play music for events at 95 and 100 dBA in a ballroom at Georgia Aquarium. Concern over the potential effects of the music and noise on animals in adjacent exhibits inspired an initial project to monitor and compare sound levels in the adjacent underwater exhibits against the typical in-air sound levels of the ballroom. Measured underwater noise levels were compared to modeled levels based on finite element analysis and plane wave transmission loss calculations through the acrylic viewing window. Results were compared with the model to determine how, if at all, the ambient noise level in the Cold Water Quest exhibit changed as a result of music played in the ballroom.

From Soundwave to Soundscape: A Guide to Acoustic Research in Captive Animal Environments

“…Hydrophone recordings and power spectra (Section 2.4) from 15 marine mammal facilities showed a large variation in ambient sound between concrete tanks and naturalistic (e.g., penned lagoon) enclosures ( 99 ). A separate study found that loud enclosure sound did not significantly overlap with the hearing thresholds of bottlenose dolphins; the life support system produced primarily low-frequency sound, whereas dolphins have high-frequency hearing ( 101 , 102 ). Taking continuous sound recordings from a dolphin pool has been used demonstrate the contribution of one piece of cleaning equipment, and how dolphins whistled less when it was being used ( 103 ).…”

“…In one zoo, sound contour maps for each enclosure were created, taking into account the location of speakers (playing back experimental construction sound), topography, and ear height which could then be used to help monitor actual construction sound ( 109 ). Another study ( 101 ) reported that music from an evening event in an aquarium was detectable in a nearby beluga whale tank. The authors modeled the propagation of music from the aquarium's ballroom (air) to the beluga tank (water) via an acrylic viewing window.…”

Environmental enrichment for Killer whales Orcinus orca at zoological institutions: untried and untested

“…It has been observed that the noise of life‐support systems, pumps and filtration plants are prominent contributors to the unnatural soundscape of aquatic exhibits (Scheifele et al ., ). Sounds are also produced by public‐address systems, areas where entertainment/shows are taking place and noisy visitors (Scheifele et al ., ).…”

“…It has been observed that the noise of life‐support systems, pumps and filtration plants are prominent contributors to the unnatural soundscape of aquatic exhibits (Scheifele et al ., ). Sounds are also produced by public‐address systems, areas where entertainment/shows are taking place and noisy visitors (Scheifele et al ., ). Although a recent survey has found that, in general, pools in zoological facilities are equivalent to or quieter than coastal ocean regions inhabited by many small cetaceans, particularly at the frequencies where they hear well (M. Xitco, pers.…”