A Successful Start to the Alaska Resident Killer Whale Photogrammetry Project

SR3 had a successful start to their new collaborative project with the North Gulf Oceanic Society to assess the health of fish-eating Resident killer whales in the Northern Gulf of Alaska.

A week-long field project was conducted in late May in the coastal waters around the Kenai Fjords, and the team was able to fly a remotely controlled octocopter drone to collect photogrammetry images of 32 individual whales from two Alaska Resident pods (AD8 and AK2), including four new calves.

Size and body condition of these abundant and increasing Alaska Residents will be compared to the endangered and declining Southern Resident killer whales to generate health benchmarks to facilitate recovery monitoring. The team will head back up to Alaska in August for a two-week field project in the spectacular Prince William Sound.

Aerial images of two female-calf pairs from the AK2 pod of the Alaska Resident killer whale population. Images were collected non-invasively using a remotely-controlled drone flown at >100ft over the whales under NMFS research permit #20341. Photo by Holly Fearnbach (SR3) and John Durban (North Gulf Ocean Society).

2021 Sounders Health Assessment Complete

The annual health assessment of the “Sounders” gray whale’s health assessment project is complete for 2021. This was the second year of this collaborative research project between SR3’s Dr. Holly Fearnbach, Dr. John Durban of Oregon State University and colleagues from Cascadia Research Collective (CRC).

Aerial image of a social group of “Sounders” gray whale taken in April 2021. Image was collected non-invasively using a remotely-controlled drone flown at >150ft over the whales under NMFS research permit #22306. Photo by Holly Fearnbach (SR3) and John Durban (Oregon State University).

The ongoing aim is to assess the health of these whales during the current Unusual Mortality Event for gray whales and to document their changes in body condition during this important feeding stopover in the Northern Puget Sound.

A remotely controlled octocopter drone was used to collect aerial photogrammetry images of 14 individual whales on seven days between late February and early June of this year. Eleven of these whales were measured on multiple days, with a maximum of four different days, and 11 of these whales were also measured in 2020, which will allow us to monitor changes in body condition both between and within years.

We saw a consistent and dramatic improvement in body condition during the spring feeding stopover and were able to document one pregnancy. The whales have now departed to resume their northbound migration to Arctic feeding grounds, and we will resume our health monitoring next spring when they return to Puget Sound.

NEW PUBLICATION HIGHLIGHTS DECLINES IN BODY LENGTHS OF CRITICALLY ENDANGERED NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALES

A new publication has just come out, highlighting SR3’s health assessment of endangered whales on both coasts. SR3’s Dr. Holly Fearnbach collaborated with colleagues from NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center, New England Aquarium, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Southall Environmental Associates in a paper published today in the high-impact scientific journal Current Biology, titled “Decreasing body lengths in North Atlantic right whales” (read the paper here). The study used aerial images spanning 20 years, collected from both crewed aircraft and remotely operated drones, to estimate body size and evaluate growth trends of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales (NARW) off New England. NARWs currently number < 400 individuals, with declining abundance attributed in part to human-induced impacts such vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. The study found that entanglements in fishing gear are also associated with shorter whales and that body lengths have been decreasing since 1981.  The smaller body sizes have likely contributed to reduced calving success and population decline. 

This finding of stunted right whales is remarkably similar to the results from our primary research on salmon-eating Resident killer whales off the Pacific Coast. In recent years, SR3 and colleagues have documented decreased adult body size in both endangered Southern and Northern resident killer whales, specifically for whales that grew in periods of low Chinook salmon abundance (read a recent paper here). Although the causes of this stunted growth are different for right and killer whales, the studies in combination highlight the severity of sub-lethal stressors, and indicate the need for additional management protections if these vulnerable populations are to recover. 

Read reaction to the new paper in the New York Timeshere.

Photographs of North Atlantic right whales taken using non-invasive drones. Left photo shows the distinctive callosity patterns on the head, which are used to identify individuals and link measurements to known age. Right photo shows a whale in elongated surfacing orientation – images like this were measured to estimate length and monitor growth (note the scarring near the tail stock from a previous entanglement in fishing gear). Photographs by John Durban (NOAA) and Holly Fearnbach (SR3), authorized by NMFS research permit #17355.

Exciting start to new killer whale health research in Alaska!

SR3’s Dr. Holly Fearnbach is off to Alaska to start a new research project in collaboration with Dr. John Durban, Craig Matkin and Dan Olsen from the North Gulf Oceanic Society. The study will focus on using drone-based photogrammetry to estimate the size and body condition of fish-eating Resident killer whales in the Northern Gulf of Alaska. In contrast to the declining abundance and the constrained size and body condition of the endangered Southern Resident killer whales that SR3 studies off Washington State, the Alaska Resident killer whales have been increasing in abundance in recent decades and offer the opportunity to study the health of a robust population. Therefore, this study will serve as a comparative assessment between the two populations to help establish health benchmarks to guide conservation measures to ensure that Southern Resident killer whales have an adequate supply of their preferred prey, Chinook salmon. This is the first year of the project, with an aim of continuing annual sampling in early and late summer for the long-term.

Photo of an Alaska Resident killer whale in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Image taken by John Durban, North Gulf Oceanic Society.

2021 Assessment of “Sounders” gray whales

Our 2021 condition assessment of the “Sounders” gray whales off to a great start!

The “Sounders” gray whales have begun returning to Puget Sound and we have already been able to measure the body condition of four individuals. This is the second year of this collaborative research project between SR3’s Dr. Holly Fearnbach, Dr. John Durban of Oregon State University and colleagues from Cascadia Research Collective (CRC). We are using a remotely controlled octocopter drone to non-invasively collect high resolution aerial images that we analyze to measure in the  body condition of individuals during their feeding stopover in North Puget Sound. Our aerial images can be linked to known individuals (some with 30+ year sighting histories!) thanks to the long-term monitoring efforts led by CRC. Both boat-based and aerial images were collected of all four whales, all of which were also imaged in 2020, allowing for evaluation of how body condition varies between years. One of these whales, CRC-723 or “Lucyfer”, was in much leaner condition compared to last year, likely an indication of a more recent arrival to the area. Hopefully we will see an improvement in condition for all of the whales as they fatten up on ghost shrimp before they resume their northbound migration to Arctic feeding grounds. This project will continue into early summer and results from this study will continue to provide important information on the body condition and health of gray whales during the current Unusual Mortality Event.

Aerial images of a “Sounder” gray whale (CRC-723, “Lucyfer”) taken on March 19th, 2020 and then again last week on February 24th, 2021. Note that Lucyfer appears more robust in the March 2020 image (left), likely the result of several extra weeks of foraging on ghost shrimp in Puget Sound. Images were collected non-invasively using a remotely-controlled drone flown at >150ft over the whales under NMFS research permit 19091. Photo by Holly Fearnbach (SR3) and John Durban (OSU).

Welcome to the Salish Sea

Chances are you know where to find the Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Strait of Georgia, but do you know where the Salish Sea is?  You’re not alone if you don’t. 

Reference map for the Salish Sea Bioregion with boundary highlighted in white. (Aquila Flower, 2020)

Where is the Salish Sea?

The Salish Sea is the inland sea that reaches from the south end of Puget Sound in Washington State, to the north end of the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia, and to the west opening of the Strait of Juan de Fuca where it meets the Pacific Ocean.  The combination of these three bodies of seawater plus the surrounding watershed basin forms a single integrated ecosystem. 

The Salish Sea spans approximately 49,000 sq. mi. (128,000 sq. km.).  Of that, 14% is seawater and 86% is the surrounding watershed basin, not including the upper Fraser River watershed. 

The geology here was built up by the forces of plate tectonics and volcanic eruptions, and then carved out by glaciers and erosion.  When the last glacier retreated about 12,000 years ago, it left behind an inland sea with channels that reach 2,130 ft. (650 m.) in depth and more than 400 islands.  Those deep channels allow cold, nutrient-rich saltwater from the Pacific to enter and mix with fresh water that drains from the surrounding river systems to create a habitat that sustains more than 3,400 marine animal species.

Coast Salish region and cultural groups. (Burke Museum)

Why give it a name?

The Salish Sea crosses the border between the U.S. and Canada. Yet, neither oil spills nor marine life recognize lines on a map. People began to fear an oil spill on either side of the border could foul the waterways of both countries. That fear drove scientists to study the circulation, salinity, and marine life throughout the inland sea. They found that it was a single ecosystem supporting one food web. That food web needed coordinated, multi-national protection. The habitat that supported that food web needed a name.

“Coast Salish” refers to the family of languages spoken by the many cultural groups of indigenous people who have lived here for more than 10,000 years. The Salish Sea name acknowledges these first stewards of this ecosystem. All of us who live in the Salish Sea watershed today live on the ancestral lands of the Washington State Tribes and First Nations of British Columbia. We must all work together to protect the Salish Sea.

Who lives here?

More than 3,400 marine species and 8 million people call the Salish Sea home.  Unless you are a diver, the animals you see most often are those who operate at the surface: graceful Humpback, Minke and Gray whales; agile killer whales, Dall’s porpoises, and Pacific white-sided dolphins; immense sea lions and ubiquitous seals; meticulously-groomed sea otters; bright-beaked Tufted puffins.  These are some of the iconic species that captivate us and symbolize our culture in the Pacific Northwest. 

These neighbors depend on thousands of species that are harder for us to see.  Our mighty salmon feed on small forage fish such as herring and smelt.  These fish rely on the shelter of bull kelp forests that serve as their nursery.  The kelp forests rely on the sea otters to eat urchins that would otherwise eat the kelp.  And on it goes…  All of the species that live here, the seen and unseen, are equally important members of an intricately connected food web.  If any one species in the web falters, the health of all is impacted, including humans.

What impact have we had on this ecosystem?

Despite this exquisite biodiversity, the Salish Sea is not the healthy home it once was.  113 local species are listed as endangered or threatened or are candidates for addition to the U.S. Endangered Species list because of the way we live.   

We pull too much out of our ocean.  Too many fish to eat.  Too much oil to burn.  Too many nearshore and watershed habitats to develop. 

We also put too much into the ocean.  Too much waste in the form of garbage, plastic, toxic chemicals, and carbon emissions.  Too many vessels that create noise and strike animals.  Too much fishing gear that entangles and kills animals not intended to be caught.

SR3 responds to, rehabilitates, and researches marine animals to help those in urgent need due to human impacts, as well as collect health data which informs conservation efforts.

With local human populations continuing to grow, the stress we put on local species is increasing.  If we don’t reduce that stress, it won’t just be our neighboring species who suffer.  Our food supply, cultures, and economies will suffer too.

What can we do?

We must protect the Salish Sea.  We know we can succeed.  We’ve done it before.  By the middle of the last century, marine mammals in U.S. waters, including humpback whales, sea lions and seals, had been hunted nearly to extinction.  Federal regulations enacted in the 1970s, including the Marine Mammal Protection Act, stopped the hunt.  With these protections in place, these animals have recovered and are once again thriving in the Salish Sea.  Their stories show us what we can protect when we work together.

Each of us can make a difference.  Use the following resources to learn how to give animals the space they need to feed, socialize and mate without disruption, reduce pollution in their water, and buy only sustainably-caught seafood to prevent depletion of fish stocks.

Learning from local research.  SR3 is on the frontlines of local marine animal research and recovery.  By opening the Pacific Northwest’s first marine wildlife specialty hospital, we are gaining a better understanding of the ever-changing threats that marine animals face and how we can best address those issues. 

Working together in partnership.  When we work together, we can achieve more.  SR3 works with many organizations and community supporters to respond to animals in distress, rehabilitate them, and conduct research that informs conservation efforts.  And now, SR3 welcomes the Mission Blue team to our community of stewards as we recognize the Salish Sea as a Hope Spot.  We welcome their support in working to restore and preserve this unique place that we are fortunate to call home.

Whale Surveys to Prevent Entanglements

A humpback whale is spotted diving amongst California sea lions during a whale survey. These surveys are helping inform fishery management decisions to protect whales from life-threatening entanglements.

Now that the peak whale entanglement season in the Pacific Northwest is over, SR3 is working with partners in California to respond to entanglements there and help conduct surveys to prevent them. In September, SR3’s Entanglement Response Specialist, Doug Sandilands, an entanglement response team, and our response boat, “Nova,” began heading down the Washington coast toward Monterey Bay, California, conducting whale surveys along the way. Despite the forest fire smoke and unseasonably windy weather, the team had success collecting over 100 sightings.

A humpback whale is seen here lunge feeding during a whale survey designed to help prevent entanglements.

They will remain in CA until the spring to conduct additional surveys, in partnership with Cascadia Research Collective and The Marine Mammal Center, and which are funded by the California Ocean Protection Council and NOAA's Prescott Grant.

By identifying areas with a high concentration of whales, these surveys reduce the probability of entanglements. Doug explained, ”Our surveys, along with California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) aerial surveys and sightings from Point Blue, whale watchers and fishermen, have all been finding concentrations of whales. Based on this information, the California Working Group recommended the commercial Dungeness crab gear season be delayed; and, the CDFW has now delayed the fishery until December 23rd to reduce the probability of entanglements.”

SR3’s response boat, “Nova,” is captured taking photo ids of individual whales, which help contribute to long-term population studies.

“These surveys are unique, in that we are not only identifying areas of whale concentrations, but also collecting photos that allow the whales to be individually identified. This information contributes to Cascadia's long-term population studies, and the images of scars and wounds from whales that have previously been entangled help us understand how often whales become entangled.”

Another particularly unique aspect of these surveys is our ability to actively help entangled whales. We carry all of the equipment and authorized personnel required to disentangle any entangled whales we may come across or which are reported nearby.

We are incredibly grateful to all of our partners and supporters who make this important work possible! Stay tuned in the spring for another update on these life-saving surveys.

A successful year of killer whale health monitoring!

SR3’s Dr. Holly Fearnbach and Dr. John Durban from Southall Environmental Associates (SEA) have had an extremely successful year of aerial photogrammetry, producing quantitative health metrics on two killer whale populations in the Salish Sea: endangered Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) and Bigg’s transient killer whales. The team uses a remotely controlled octocopter drone to collect high resolution images that are analyzed to measure size and track the body condition of individuals.

Aerial image of an adult female (J35) with her newborn calf (J57) from the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population. This image was collected in October 2020 using a remotely-piloted octocopter drone that was flown >100ft above the whales under NMFS Research Permit #19091.

In 2020, Holly and John extended their research efforts to include monitoring throughout the year, in an effort to provide greater resolution on if and when body condition changes. This is especially important for informing management decisions that aim to ensure adequate access to the SRKW’s primary prey, Chinook salmon, throughout the year.

The team was able to collect aerial images of 70/74 SRKWs known to be alive in the population and 35 individual Bigg’s killer whales. A number of SRKW females were identified as being pregnant, based on measurements of body profiles, and two of these whales successfully gave birth in September (see photos of both moms, J35 and J41, with their new calves right and below). These data extend a 13-year time series of health research to support recovery management of SRKWs and to compare their health to the increasing population of Bigg’s killer whales.

Aerial image of an adult female (J41) with her newborn calf (J58) from the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population. This image was collected in October 2020 using a remotely-piloted octocopter drone that was flown >100ft above the whales under NMFS Research Permit #19091.

Pregnant whales identified among the Southern Resident killer whales

Since early July, SR3’s Dr. Holly Fearnbach and Dr. John Durban from Southall Environmental Associates (SEA) have been able to collect aerial images of the majority of the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population. This ongoing project is using photographs from drones to non-invasively measure growth and body condition to track the nutritional health of the population over time. Quantitative measurements will be generated for all individuals encountered, but obvious shape changes in some individuals have revealed a number of pregnant whales (see images below) from all three pods. This is not unusual, and unfortunately the majority of recent pregnancies have not resulted in successful births. Studies by our colleagues at the University of Washington have shown that these reproductive failures are linked to nutrition and access to their Chinook salmon prey, so we hope folks on the water can give the Southern Residents plenty of space to forage at this important time. With such a small population (Center for Whale Research census current at 73 whales), every successful birth is hugely important for recovery.

L72 pregnancy: The picture panel above shows her shape change between September 2019, when she was several months into pregnancy, and recently in July 2020 when her increased width at mid body clearly indicates she is in the late stages of pregnancy. Pregnancy in killer whales typically lasts 17-18 months. Photos by SR3 and NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center in 2019 and SR3 and SEA in 2020, collected under NMFS research permit 19091.

Southern Resident Killer Whales Return to the San Juan Islands!

After several months away, members of J and K pod from the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population returned to the San Juan Islands. After being sighted early last week off Northern Vancouver Island, SR3’s Dr. Holly Fearnbach and Dr. John Durban (Southall Environmental Associates, SEA) were able to intercept members of K pod as they briefly passed through the San Juan Islands on July 1st. The team flew their remotely controlled octocopter drone over 10 whales from the K12 and K13 matrilines to collect aerial images to contribute to our ongoing research to monitor growth and assess body condition. Holly and John have collected aerial images and all 22 members of J-pod (see picture below of J16 capturing a salmon). The team will continue collecting data on the nutritional health of Southern Resident killer whales through the summer, particularly during their usual focused month-long effort in September, to help inform management decisions to aid in the recovery of the population.

Aerial images of endangered Southern Resident killer whales collected in July 2020. The top image shows a group of K-pod whales and the bottom image shows J16 chasing (and later eating) a small salmon. These images will be used in photogrammetry analyses of growth and body condition. Images obtained using a remotely-piloted octocopter that was flown >100ft above the whales under NMFS Research Permit #19091.