Scientists have warned of a growing risk of collisions between whales and ships off South Africa's south-western coastline, as global shipping routes shift in response to conflict in the Middle East. The rerouting of vessels around South Africa since 2023,  following the hijacking of a British-owned ship near Yemen by Houthi rebels, has significantly increased the likelihood of ships striking whales in the region. Chief scientist at the University of Pretoria's Whale Unit, Els Vermeulen, says many of these collisions occur far offshore, often causing whale carcasses to sink to the ocean floor rather than wash ashore. Lulu Gaboo spoke to Chief Scientist at the University of Pretoria's Whale Unit, Associate Professor Els Vermeulen.