A Drone in Pursuit of Its White (and Black) Whale
We’ve seen orcas in lots of ways—from the natural to the not natural at all. But thanks to a drone with a high-res camera on its belly, we're now getting bird's-eye views of these black-and-white beauties as they go about their business in the wild. (Psst…they don't even know we're there.) Working with Canada’s Vancouver Aquarium, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration flew an unmanned hexacopter about 100 feet above the northern resident orca population swimming off British Columbia this summer.
Researchers are currently studying the images to better understand how this threatened population of cetaceans is faring. As you can see below, some of these massive mammals have been slimming down, and not in a good way. Less snowpack and warmer rivers due to climate change are damaging Chinook salmon spawning grounds, putting the fatty fish in short supply. But the overhead snapshots don't only capture bad news: The researchers are also observing these social animals at play, monitoring the number of pregnant whales, and seeing how many calves are carried to term—like a prenatal check-in from the sky.
Photo: NOAA, Vancouver Aquarium
Photo: NOAA, Vancouver AquariumonEarth provides reporting and analysis about environmental science, policy, and culture. All opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of NRDC. Learn more or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.