Construction around Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara, has raised noise levels so high that the calls of rainforest birds and mammals are disappearing. A team led by Leah Varjacques recorded thousands of hours of audio from caves and treetops to preserve the sounds that guide local elders like Abidin. The recordings show a marked decline in species diversity compared to historic data.
If the soundscape is lost, so is a cultural navigation system that has guided generations. The study is limited to a single region and does not yet quantify how many species are being displaced. Researchers and policymakers should treat these findings as a warning rather than a definitive verdict.
more: https://aeon.co/videos/indonesia-is-building-a-new-capital-city-whats-being-lost
