A humpback whale gets a check-up

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You can't put a thermometer under a whale's tongue, nor can you measure its weight while it stands on a scale.  As a result, it is difficult to collect detailed health metrics from these large, free-swimming animals.  But my colleagues and I are getting creative.  Specifically, for my PhD research, I pilot an aerial drone equipped with visible-spectrum and thermal imaging cameras to collect data on the body condition and temperature of individual whales.  I captured this photo with the Davies Lab's drone while aboard the Barker Boys in the Bay of Fundy in 2020.  A humpback whale calf had just surfaced near the vessel, ready for its check-up!  Data from this whale and others like it will help us better understand these animals' responses to stressors, such as climate change and human activity, and facilitate more effective management strategies to protect these species. Special thanks to: Dr. Kim Davies (UNBSJ), Natasha Hynes (UNBSJ), Marcia Pearson (Dalhousie University), Danny & Jeremy Barker (F/V Barker Boys), Dr. Moira Brown (Canadian Whale Institute), and the whales!