Antarctica
Studying ocean giants with new tech, protecting critical foraging habits
© Duke University Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab. Research conducted under permit by NOAA.
WWF is collaborating the University of California Santa Cruz, Duke University and British Antarctic Survey to protect Antarctic Giants.
Most of the world’s large whale species are found in the Antarctic among a diverse marine ecosystem of over 10,000 species. However, whale distribution and their critical feeding areas are poorly understood. As climate change and krill fishing increase in the Antarctic, the pressure to learn more about these majestic animals becomes more urgent.
New technologies are helping scientists better understand and map the most important areas where whales feed, so we can protect them before it’s too late.
WWF is working hard with partners to give Antarctic ocean giants a voice, implementing innovative conservation solutions such as establishing marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean. Establishing well-managed MPAs can help maintain krill populations and deliver effective biodiversity conservation, helping protect future generations of whales.
Using non-invasive digital tags with suction cups to monitor the whales’ behaviour and movements, we are discovering where in the Antarctic Peninsula these whales are gathering and feeding, so we can make recommendations where to create Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
Digital tags to inform policy
The research shows that marine protected areas will help conserve a range of Antarctic biodiversity including whales.
We are working with Dr Ari Friedlaender’s Lab at the University of California Santa Cruz (USA) to better understand where and how baleen whales feed on krill by deploying digital tags with suction cups. The aim is to use these new data to inform the design of a new marine protected area proposal on the Antarctic Peninsula - better protecting these critical ocean habitats.
Drone tech to study whales and the threats they face in new ways
Our partners at Duke University Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab (MaRRS) are developing innovative technology such as drone photography, to better understand how whales feed, the health of their population and how this is being affected by climate change.
Cameras on the drones photograph and film the animals. Special software is used to process images, giving researchers a precise measurement of body condition and health. We will use this technology to monitor populations long-term.