Scientists are now deploying drones to capture the breath of Arctic whales, revealing the presence of a deadly and highly contagious virus linked to mass strandings and deaths. This innovative technique is providing an unprecedented, non-invasive window into the health of these ocean giants in a rapidly changing environment.
How Drones Are Capturing Whale Breath
The groundbreaking research, a collaboration between King’s College London and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, involved flying drones equipped with sterile Petri dishes through the exhaled spray, or "blow," from whales. This method allows for the collection of respiratory droplets without causing any stress or harm to the animals.
Samples were gathered over a nine-year period, from 2016 to 2025, from humpback, sperm, and fin whales across the north-east Atlantic. Key locations included the waters of northern Norway, Iceland, and Cape Verde.
A Deadly Pathogen Identified
The analysis of these blow samples, alongside some skin biopsies and an organ sample, led to the detection of cetacean morbillivirus. This pathogen, first identified in dolphins, was found in a group of humpback whales in northern Norway, an ailing sperm whale, and a stranded pilot whale.
Cetacean morbillivirus is known to cause severe damage to the respiratory and nervous systems and weakens the immune system. Since its discovery in 1987, it has been responsible for multiple mass mortality events among whale and dolphin populations worldwide. The virus is particularly concerning as it can jump between different marine mammal species.
Implications for Arctic Ecosystems
The findings, published in the journal BMC Veterinary Research, raise significant concerns about outbreak risks, especially during dense winter-feeding aggregations where whales, seabirds, and humans interact closely. Professor Terry Dawson, a co-author from King’s College London, hailed the technique as a "game-changer" for monitoring pathogens in live whales.
While the study also detected herpes viruses in humpback whales across several locations, it did not find avian influenza or brucella bacteria. Helena Costa, the lead author from Nord University, stated that the priority is now long-term surveillance using these drone methods to understand how emerging stressors will affect whale health in future years.
This proactive surveillance is deemed critical for spotting deadly threats to ocean life before they can spread uncontrollably through vulnerable Arctic populations.
