Whales are one of the world’s largest mammals, but they are notoriously difficult for scientists to gather information about. Although surface populations can be counted and observed, observational studies are limited given that animals spend about 95% of their time underwater.
Tagging animals with data collection devices has been the best way to learn about some of the world’s most elusive mammals, but traditional methods are dangerous for researchers, stressful for animals, and It can be incredibly time consuming.
Scientists have now embarked on the most comprehensive study of the effectiveness of drone technology in collecting vital data from fin and blue whales.
An international team of researchers deployed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as part of the Manned Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and tagged animals in an eight-day field test in the waters around Mexico’s Loreto Bay National Park. and dropped it. Of his 29 occasions where animals were judged best suited for tagging, the drone he succeeded in 21 attempts.
Additionally, the UAV’s launch to tug deployment took an average of 2 minutes and 45 seconds, allowing the research vessel to maintain a distance of approximately 1600 feet (500 meters) from the target. With a success rate of 72%, this study indicates that it may be the most efficient method of collecting this kind of data developed to date.
Christian Miller
The study also included other benefits, such as the drone’s ability to match the animal’s swim speed. In other words, tag attachment was not possible with conventional manual pole he tagging.
“Our results support the use of UAS as a platform for tagging large, free-swimming whales,” said the researchers. “UAS was able to successfully attach a tug to a specific individual and was able to do so in a short period of time, even though the initial distance was long. The efficiency of tagging may be improved while reducing the required proximity and possible disturbances associated with the required proximity.This technology also increases the potential for whales and humans to be struck and injured. reduce.”
Christian Miller
In biologging, suction cups (essentially small minicomputers) containing data tags are attached to the whale’s back for about 24 hours. This allows scientists to learn about underwater animal behavior that humans rarely know. The tags can record depth, speed, acceleration, deceleration, how water temperature affects behavior, and other aspects of whale life that are essential to understanding these mammals.
Traditionally, the tug was attached to the whale by a 20- to 30-foot (6-9 meter) long pole operated by a team of researchers in a boat that was able to get close enough to the whale. Not only is it a dangerous task for scientists, and often stressful for whales.
blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the largest animal on earth, occupying all oceans except the Arctic Ocean, but is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Similarly, the fin whale (B. Physalis) are found throughout the world’s oceans, but have only recently gone from critically endangered to vulnerable as conservation efforts have improved their numbers.
Data tagging plays an important role in informing conservation and protection programs. The benefits of non-invasive research tools, for scientists and animals alike, have been the focus of previous drone experiments, such as his SnotBot, which collects microbes.
“UAS-based tagging has the potential to greatly enhance studies of cetaceans in the wild,” said the researchers. “Our promising initial results represent, to our knowledge, the first on the use of UAS to attach widely used biological tags (DTAG and CATS) to free-swimming baleen whales (baleen whales). shows a substantive investigation of
“Further developments could make UAS-based tagging methods viable for vulnerable or difficult-to-study species, such as extensive pre-flight training specifically for tagging whales.” , it is important to highlight the skills required for UAS pilots.”
The study was published in a journal Royal Society Open Science In the video below, you can see the drone perspective and tagging in action.
The future of whale research
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
