Drones being used to spot deadly virus in arctic whales’ breath

The virus causes severe damage to respiratory, neurological and immune systems, and has triggered multiple mass mortality events

Scientists have discovered a deadly virus in the breath of whales that is causing mass deaths among the mammals in the Arctic Circle.

Using drones, special equipment was flown through the exhaled droplets, known as “blows”, which are released when whales come up to breathe through their blowholes.

Researchers detected a highly infectious virus, known as cetacean morbillivirus, which is linked to mass strandings of whales and dolphins worldwide.

The virus can jump between species and poses a significant threat to marine mammals.

It is hoped that the findings, published in the journal BMC Veterinary Research, will help observers spot deadly threats to ocean life before they spread.

“Drone blow sampling is a gamechanger. It allows us to monitor pathogens in live whales without stress or harm, providing critical insights into diseases in rapidly changing Arctic ecosystems,” said co-author Professor Terry Dawson, from the department of geography at King’s College London.

For the study, involving King’s College London and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, researchers deployed drones equipped with sterile Petri dishes to hover over whale blowholes and capture respiratory droplets.

Samples were collected between 2016 and 2025, from humpback, sperm, and fin whales across the North Atlantic.

Scientists have discovered the presence of cetacean morbillivirus in multiple species of whale (Getty/iStock)

Blow samples, as well as skin biopsies, and in one case, an organ sample, were collected and screened for infectious agents using molecular lab tests.

The virus, cetacean morbillivirus, which was first identified in dolphins, was found in a humpback whale group in northern Norway, a sperm whale showing poor health, and a stranded pilot whale.

Cetacean morbillivirus causes severe damage to the respiratory, neurological and immune systems, and has triggered multiple mass mortality events since its discovery in 1987.

Researchers explained that the findings also raise concerns about potential outbreak risks during dense winter-feeding aggregations, where whales, seabirds, and humans interact closely.

Herpes viruses were also found in humpback whales in waters around Norway, Iceland, and Cape Verde – but there was no detection of avian influenza virus or Brucella bacteria, which have also been linked to strandings.

Helena Costa, lead author at Nord University, said: “Going forward, the priority is to continue using these methods for long-term surveillance, so we can understand how multiple emerging stressors will shape whale health in the coming years.”