For the second year in a row, Dr. Fearnbach and her colleagues are evaluating cetaceans off the coast of San Diego.
2018/2019 Southern California cetacean survey underway
Field update! Southern Resident Killer Whale Health Assessments
SR3’s Dr. Holly Fearnbach and NOAA colleague Dr. John Durban are still in the field around the San Juan Islands, conducting a key health assessment of the endangered population of Southern Resident killer whales. The team has been using an unmanned octocopter drone to non-invasively collect high-resolution aerial images that will be analyzed to quantify growth and body condition, to support recovery actions aimed at maintaining an adequate food supply. These aerial images can also be used to provide real-time updates on health and foraging success. Unfortunately, there continue to be a number of whales in the population that are in poor and declining body condition and we remain concerned about the condition of J pod in particular (see photos). The good news is that we have documented successful foraging from the air (see photo) and hope that if they are given space and can find sufficient food, the whales may be able to improve their condition. In the coming months, the images will be analyzed to add to a 10-year time series of whale growth and condition.
Aerial images of three adult females from J pod from September 2018 (J41, left, J16, center and J17, right). J41 is in robust condition and her width at mid-body indicates that she is pregnant, while J16 and J17 are in notably lean condition. Image by SR3 and NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, obtained using an unmanned octocopter that was flown >100ft above the whales under NMFS permit #19091.
Aerial image of J41, a pregnant Southern Resident killer whale, successfully foraging alongside her juvenile offspring J51 in September 2018. Image by SR3 and NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, obtained using an unmanned octocopter that was flown >100ft above the whales under NMFS permit #19091.
Monitoring the condition of an ailing Southern Resident Killer Whale, J50
There is a high level of concern about the health of a young Southern Resident killer whale, J50, who has been documented to be in very poor body condition in recent months.
Southern Resident Killer Whale Health Update
SR3's Marine Mammal Research Director, Dr. Holly Fearnbach, and her NOAA colleague Dr. John Durban, have succeeded in capturing overhead images of ailing Southern Resident killer whale youngster J50, during their emergency field effort to assess her condition.
San Juan Island whale health assessment - Part 2
While in the San Juan Islands, Dr. Fearnbach and her colleagues collected data on 3 large whale species as part of an ongoing nutritional health study. Gray, humpback, and minke whales all made an appearance!
San Juan Island whale health assessments - part 1
Dr. Fearnbach and colleagues got great images of Bigg’s killer whales during their May health assessment of whale populations in the San Juan Islands.
Emaciated elephant seal pup transported by SR3
Emaciated elephant seal pup receives critical medical care in SR3 marine wildlife ambulance during transport to San Juan Island.
National Endangered Species Day 2018
Dr. Fearnbach checks in from the San Juan Islands during this season’s health assessments on the critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales on National Endangered Species Day!
Entanglement Response Team helps gray whale off WA coast
A two day mission to help a young entangled gray whale began last Tuesday after a report from a commercial fisherman.
Annual Migrating Gray Whale Body Condition Assessment
Dr. Fearnbach recaps a successful 4th consecutive annual assessment of the body condition of gray whales migrating past Piedras Blancas lighthouse in California.