This is how Helena Sofia Gomes Costa and her supervisor Courtney Alice Waugh will collect bacteria from the whale’s “snot” in order to be able to research infectious diseases. The doctoral student at Nord University in Bodø is the first in the world to do exactly this. Costa and Waugh had long discussed what they should link the doctorate to. They realized that there was a large knowledge gap regarding the health of whales in Norway and the North Atlantic. They especially look at humpback whales and sperm whales. In addition, they wanted to develop a method that does not disturb the animal. A drone was the solution. The Whale Exhale Project – i.e. the whale’s exhalation – is the name of the research project being carried out at Nord University. The drones are equipped with petri dishes (small glass dishes) on top, so that snot from the whale can land and be collected. Photo: Thomas Jergel / Camerat The drone is then flown over the whale and waits until the animal exhales Photo: The Whale Exhale project The drone then flies back to the researchers to analyze the samples. The drone has floating elements installed, so that it can land in water if necessary. Effective and non-disruptive According to the researchers, there was no good and efficient method for collecting samples from whales. – You look at blood, saliva or exudate to be able to study infectious diseases, says Waugh. Therefore, researchers either had to wait for the whale to run aground or drive a boat close to the animal and hold a pole over the blowout. The researchers are collaborating with an American company that specializes in collecting samples from whales in a humane way – i.e. with drones. Helena Sofia Gomes Costa According to Costa, the latter method is both ineffective in disturbing the whale. – The sound and presence of the boat disturbs and stresses the animal, says the fellow. The lack of a good method for sample collection is also the cause of the lack of knowledge. – The whale is the ocean’s engineer, says Waugh. That is why she believes the research is important. – The whales can act as an early warning system for other animals, the ecosystem and for humans. If a whale gets sick, something is wrong, she says. Difficult to manage – One of the biggest challenges we have faced is the weather in northern Norway, says Costa. Firstly, it is inherently demanding to control a drone in winds of up to 55 kilometres. In addition, the wind causes the whale’s exhalation to be carried somewhat to the side. – We have to move the drone slightly to the side and fly lower. Helena Sofia Gomes Costa (left) is a veterinarian and her supervisor Courtney Alice Waugh is a marine biologist. Photo: Thomas Jergel / Camerat That’s what Costa says and adds that they have become more steady in their flight now. – In the beginning, we had more challenges than now. We fly the drone very close to the water, so we’re always a bit worried about crashing into the water or the whale’s exhaust hitting the drone so we lose control. – I am mentally ready to crash, says the PhD student. Most people who fly such drones are in tropical climates, without so much weather, says Waugh. Where are the whales? The whales feed around Svalbard in the Barents Sea and every year they migrate along the Norwegian coast, but not close enough to the coast for the researchers to reach the whales via boat. Finally, they go on to the Caribbean. In recent years, however, the humpback whale has started to make an extra stop at Skjervøy in Troms and Finnmark. The sperm whale has a resident population outside Andøya, they are there all year round, so we can go whenever we want and take samples from them, says Waugh. – We appreciate the interest The research has not allowed itself to go unnoticed. The SeaWorld theme park in Australia will make a ten-episode documentary series about their work. One of the episodes is devoted to Costa and Waugh’s research. Costa and Waugh collaborate with the amusement park. There they have the opportunity to collect samples from captured animals with known information such as sex, age and whether the animals are pregnant. The samples from SeaWorld are compared with samples from the animals that live freely in the sea, where they do not have access to the same information. – We can say that the captive animals really help their free counterparts. The information we get from the whales farthest off the Norwegian coast also helps the captured animals. It’s a nice bond, says supervisor Waugh. Costa thinks it is great to be able to share the research work they are doing. – We appreciate the interest from people who perhaps never knew such things could be done. – People often associate drones with something scary and annoying, but it can be used for a lot of exciting things, like this, says Costa.
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Gets international attention – news Nordland
