Drones detect deadly virus in Arctic whales’ breath

Whale breath collected by drones provides clues to the health of wild humpback and other whales.

Scientists flew drones equipped with special equipment through the exhaled droplets, or “beats,” produced when the giants rise to breathe through the breathing holes.

They have discovered a highly infectious virus linked to mass strandings of whales and dolphins around the world.

Sampling the whales' “impact” is a “game changer” for the health and welfare of the whales, said Professor Terry Dawson of King's College London.

“This allows us to monitor pathogens in living whales without stress or harm, providing critical disease information in rapidly changing Arctic ecosystems,” he said.

The researchers used drones carrying sterile Petri dishes to collect droplets from the exhaled breath of humpback whales, fin whales and sperm whales, as well as skin biopsies taken from boats.

They confirmed for the first time that a potentially deadly whale virus known as cetacean morbillivirus is circulating in the Arctic Circle.

The disease is highly contagious and spreads easily among dolphins, whales and porpoises, causing severe illness and widespread mortality.

It can jump between species and travel across oceans, posing a significant threat to marine mammals.

Researchers hope this breakthrough will help detect deadly threats to ocean life early, before they spread.

“Going forward, the priority is to continue to use these methods for long-term follow-up so we can understand how the many stressors that arise will affect the health of the whales in the coming years,” said Helena Costa from Nord University, Norway.

The study, which involved King's College London, the Royal School of Veterinary Research (Dick) in the UK and Nord University in Norway, was published in the journal Veterinary Research BMC.