Drones being used to spot deadly virus in arctic whales’ breath
Deadly virus discovered on the breath of whales in the Arctic Circle
- Scientists have discovered a deadly cetacean morbillivirus in the breath of whales in the Arctic Circle, linked to mass mortality events.
- Drones were utilised to collect exhaled droplets, known as 'blows', from humpback, sperm, and fin whales across the northeast Atlantic.
- The highly infectious virus, which causes severe respiratory, neurological, and immune damage, was found in a humpback group, a sperm whale, and a stranded pilot whale.
- Cetacean morbillivirus can jump between species, posing a significant threat to marine mammals and raising concerns about potential outbreaks during dense feeding aggregations.
- Researchers hope this drone-based sampling method will enable long-term surveillance to monitor pathogens in live whales and detect threats to ocean life before they spread.