Background:
Sperm whales have been listed as endangered since 1970 and are protected through the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Unfortunately, they are still challenged with anthropogenic impacts such as entanglement in fishing equipment, ingestion of unnatural materials, and habitat encroachment. Efforts are being made to reduce anthropogenic impacts, but a critical piece of data that's missing is scientific research on the animals themselves. Thanks to advances in technology, scientists now can gain a significant amount of data about an animal with minimally invasive techniques.
Mission:
Beneath The Waves will be partnering with Caine Delacy for this expedition. BRUVs will be deployed to obtain baseline surveys of the surrounding environments. Sperm whale research specifically will include tissue samples collected from the water as the animal(s) pass by, to be analyzed once back in the USA, and obtaining photo IDs to begin a database with individual animal identifiers.
Application:
This research utilizes minimally invasive techniques and technological advancements to gather essential data on sperm whales, an endangered species facing various anthropogenic threats. These include remote sensing technologies for behavioral studies, non-invasive health assessments, and tracking devices to monitor migration patterns and habitat use. By studying population dynamics, reproductive success, and the impact of human activities, such as entanglement and pollution, this research seeks to provide crucial insights into sperm whale ecology and inform evidence-based conservation strategies to mitigate threats and protect the species.
