US Drones Capture Breath Samples From Humpback Whales in Study

US Drones Capture Breath Samples From Humpback Whales in Study
Advertisement

Researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Cape Cod have begun using a helicopter-style drone to monitor humpback whales off the coast, collecting breath samples from their blowholes and taking aerial pictures.

The scientists first deployed the 32-inch "hexacopter" drone in July to help assess the health of whales living in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, about 45 miles (72 km) east of Boston, where there is significant ship traffic and pollution, Woods Hole said in a release on Monday.

"Rigged with a specialised camera system, the unmanned airborne vehicle flew 125 to 150 feet above sea level to get full-body photographs of 36 animals. It swooped down to 10 feet above seal level to collect 20 breath samples from 16 whales," according to the release.

The breath samples provided scientists with DNA and hormone and bacteria measurements, Woods Hole said.

Researchers plan to use the drone next winter to collect samples from the same whale species living near the Antarctic Peninsula, which is relatively pristine, it said.

"This will give us a new understanding of the relationship between whale body condition and health in the context of habitat quality," said Michael Moore, director of the institute's Marine Mammal Center.

Humpback whales are among the world's largest at up to 60 feet long (18.29 m), and migrate thousands of miles between their summer and winter feeding grounds. They were listed as an endangered species in 1970 after decades of fishing caused their populations to plummet.

© Thomson Reuters 2015

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Sony Xperia Z5 Launch Likely on September 2; Purportedly Pictured With 'Compact'
Hackers Exploit 'Flash' Vulnerability in Yahoo Ads
Facebook Gadgets360 Twitter Share Tweet Snapchat LinkedIn Reddit Comment google-newsGoogle News

Advertisement

Follow Us
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2024. All rights reserved.
Trending Products »
Latest Tech News »