By Dr. Holly Fearnbach, Marine Mammal Research Director
The SR3 team recently completed a successful research season in the Antarctic Peninsula onboard the M/V National Geographic Endurance. This research extends a long-term study to assess the health and population status of top predators (killer whales) and health of top consumers (humpback and minke whales) in the rapidly-warming waters around the Antarctic Peninsula. The team was able to collect aerial photogrammetry and photo-identification images of 25 individual Type B1 “pack ice” killer whales - 25% of the estimated abundance for this declining type of killer whale! Many of these individuals were first seen at the very start of the study in 2009! Several new B1 calves were documented, which is critical for population recovery, and one predation event on a Weddell seal, their preferred prey, was observed and imaged (see images below). The team was also able to collect photo-identification images of the abundant Type B2 “Gerlache Strait” killer whales and aerial photogrammetry images of humpback whales. Aerial images will be measured to monitor growth and body condition of individual whales, while photo-identification images will be used to estimate and monitor trends in population abundance over time. This research is funded by the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund.
(Left) Aerial image of several young Type B1 killer whales sharing a recently killed and skinned Weddell seal and (Right) photo of a group of Type B1 killer whales traveling S of the Antarctic Circle. Aerial images were collected non-invasively from > 100ft above the whales using remotely-controlled hexacopter drone. Research conducted under NMFS Permit # 22306 and Antarctic Conservation Act Permit ACA 2017-029.