The collaborative project “Following Whales,” with cutting-edge technology, has successfully carried out the monitoring of southern right whales. They followed 10 individuals to obtain key information about this species.
They also aim to promote the development of new satellite monitoring techniques for whales.
The southern right whale is a migratory species that covers long distances on its annual journeys, sometimes thousands of kilometers. During these journeys, they connect the areas where they feed and reproduce.
Monitoring of southern right whales: how the project works
With cutting-edge technology, the collaborative project “Following Whales” aims to obtain key information about this species and their movements in marine environments.
This research is carried out through the joint efforts of government organizations, civil society, and academic institutions, and has just launched its ninth season of studies in PenÃnsula Valdés, Chubut, Argentina.
The monitoring began in September 2024 when 10 southern right whales were equipped with state-of-the-art satellite transmitters in Golfo Nuevo.
“Most of them have already started their journey to feeding areas, while a few remain in the calm waters of the gulf,” explained the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).
“At the moment, two of the transmitters have stopped emitting signals, which happens when they detach or when the batteries run out, which can occur weeks or months after being placed,” they detailed.
To optimize their identification, each whale is given a name, which this year is associated with the periodic table of elements.
Seven adult females accompanied by their calves were tagged, named Kalium, Moscovium, Neptunium, Nickel, Sulfur, Tantalum, Titanium; one adult individual named Rubidium; and two juveniles named Aurum and Platinum.
“Following Whales” is the result of collaborative work between various institutions in Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, and the United States.
Monitoring of southern right whales: how to follow their journey
The routes of these 10 whales can be visualized on the official website.
Satellite tracking allows us to understand how they use the southwestern Atlantic and subantarctic seas during their journeys in search of food.
This information helps locate key environments for their life cycle, support the importance of marine protected areas, and make recommendations to regulate human activities – such as fishing, oil drilling, and shipping – that could impact them.
Key findings from the previous season
During the 2023-2024 season, unprecedented monitoring was conducted, such as that of Athena, the first whale identified to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, surprising with a new migratory route never before recorded satellite for the southern right whales of PenÃnsula Valdés.
“This event not only demonstrates the migratory plasticity of this species but also the importance of continuing these studies to better understand movements at a population level,” stated the organization.
It was also confirmed that four of the 16 whales monitored in the eighth season had been previously identified through photo-identification. This method allows for individualizing each whale based on the unique pattern of callosities on their head, similar to fingerprints for humans.
The story of Eos
One of them was Eos, first identified in 1979 as an adult, and documented since then with six calves. This new record indicated that she continues in the reproductive stage.
Thanks to satellite tracking, it was recorded that Eos moved towards the Blue Hole, an area crossed by the most important productive front in the southern hemisphere, which serves as a “supermarket” for many marine species; it may be declared a Benthic Marine Protected Area by the National Senate in 2024.
Institutions and organizations collaborating
The Marine Mammal Laboratory of the Center for the Study of Marine Systems (CESIMAR-CENPAT-CONICET), the Center for Applied Research and Technological Transfer in Marine Resources Almirante Storni (CIMAS-CONICET), the Faculty of Marine Sciences (FaCiMar) of the National University of Comahue, the Patagonia Natural Foundation, the Aqualie Institute, the Whale Conservation Institute (ICB).
Also, the Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies (CICOES) at the University of Washington, Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States, the Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, University of California Davis – Wildlife Health Center, and Wildlife Conservation Society Argentina (WCS), researchers from the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources in Denmark, the transmitter manufacturer Wildlife Computers, and the experienced captain Federico Arribere.
The study is mainly funded by the Office of Naval Research and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States, as well as collaborating organizations from Argentina, Brazil, and the United States.
Have you visited our YouTube channel yet? Subscribe now!
