Posted by Researchers at the New England Aquarium have stepped into a totally new method of studying Atlantic’s threatened population of right whales – collecting and analyzing floating feces to test the population’s health!
I didn’t know whales ate corn!
Right whales got their name because they were the “right” whale to catch during whaling’s hey day, when exterminating an entire species was jolly good form. Despite rigorous efforts to protect them against whaling interests, including Japanese “research” vessels, right whale populations have not increased noticeably in the last 65 years. In particular, right whales have been beset by…
…mystery illnesses which have correlated with reduced birth rates. Only a few years ago, scientists were confounded in their efforts to locate and diagnose the reclusive beasts.
Low and behold, a solution may have bubbled up to the surface – right whale poop floats and the New England Aquarium has “developed a novel method for locating and harvesting the feces in the ocean,” which apparently involves “specially trained dogs,” (Nope not kidding this time. We’ve asked our contacts at the aquarium to clarify how the dogs factor into this equation).
Thar’ she blows!
As explained by the NEAQ: “…Our right whale researchers have collected hundreds of samples of whale feces since 2003. Laboratory tests performed on whale poop can reveal stress levels, parasites, illness and whether the whale had been exposed to biotoxins associated with red tides. We also run laboratory tests to determine whether a whale is sexually mature and if females are pregnant or nursing. This methodology has already been replicated by non-Aquarium researchers working with other animals.” Finally, they “prepare the feces in three or four different recipes and just eat it for hours.” (Last part may not be true).
This effort has provided an unprecedented window into the North Atlantic right whale population. Now that’s dedication!
Special thanks to Jeff Ives of the NEAQ for bringing this explosive news to our attention. As he explained, “the biologists are up to their elbows in this stuff over here.”
UPDATES from Jeff below:
The Aquarium only does whale feces research in the Bay of Fundy between Maine and New Brunswick. We do not do feces collection with right whales when they are in Massachusetts waters as the weather in the late winter and spring is not usually favorable. The whales are also much more dispersed when in Massachusetts waters than they are in the Bay of Fundy.
When they do use dogs, the dogs stay on the boat and indicate direction like a tracking device. They do not jump in the water and swim to the poop.
The dogs were used in previous seasons, but this year funding got tight, so they’re searching for whale poop the old fashioned way–eyes, ears, nose. I spoke with one of the researchers, Jonathan, who says the current detection method consists of a spotter noticing some poop near the boat and yelling POOP! so they can net it as seen in the photo.
Now that’s hi tech.
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