5 days ago
How Scientists Are Using Drones to Study Sperm Whales
In the waters off Dominica in the Caribbean, a drone descends from the sky toward a sperm whale. Instead of dropping a tag from above, this drone will press against the whale's back to attach a specialized sensor. The tag's suction cups will stick to the whale's skin, allowing the device to record audio of these marine mammals communicating.
The technique, which researchers call tap-and-go, is described in a new study published in the journal PLOS One on Wednesday. The findings demonstrate that the approach is a possible way to gather vital scientific data while minimizing the disturbance to whales.
'This is definitely the future,' said Jeremy Goldbogen, a marine biologist at Stanford University who was not involved with the research. 'It's really exciting to see these new innovations,' he said.
Scientists have long used a traditional tagging method that involves standing on a boat's prow and using a 20-foot pole to attach the tag to the whale. But the boat's noisiness and proximity to the whales can cause them stress. The method also takes a lot of time and coordination, said Daniel Vogt, a research engineer at Harvard and the lead author of the study.
'We always wanted to improve this method,' he said of traditional tagging. Drones, in comparison, allow scientists to reach the whale from a distance, and more quickly. 'We want to reduce the disturbance to the animal while improving the quality of the data that we collect,' Mr. Vogt said.
In recent years, drone technology has changed the way scientists study whales. Drones offer more than eyes in the sky: They can identify and measure individual whales, compare their behavior at the sea surface and even collect biological samples. By flying through the clouds of vapor, or 'blow,' that whales emit when they surface to breathe, drones can gather information about the whale's genetics, hormones and microbiomes.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
