News

Ever wondered what a day in the life of a whale is like? Well, by attaching sensors and cameras to the backs of humpback and minke whales, scientists are now unlocking the mysteries of these ocean giants’ lives in Antarctica—and helping to find better ways to protect feeding areas. The project, which is supported by World Wildlife Fund Australia, has collected information on where, when and how whales feed on krill; how they interact socially; and how they have to blow hard to clear sea ice so they can breathe.

In the study, led by Ari Friedlaender, an associate professor from Oregon State University and National Geographic Explorer, a whale is fitted with a suction-cup “whale cam” for between 24 and 48 hours at a time. “We have some wonderful data on different feeding strategies from rolling lunges near the surface, to bubble net feeding, to deep foraging dives lunging through dense patches of krill,” said Dr. Friedlaender. “We have been able to show that whales spend a great deal of time during the days socializing and resting and then feeding largely throughout the evening and night time.”

WWF-Australia has provided funding for three “whale cams” to help the scientists better understand feeding areas in the Southern Ocean and the impact of shrinking ice caused by warming sea temperatures. “Growing human impacts such as climate change and increasing krill fishing overlapping in their critical feeding areas need to be managed carefully,” said Chris Johnson, WWF-Australia Ocean Science manager.

Read more here, and check out the video below.