Blowing Bubbles

As a PhD student at the University of New Brunswick Saint John, I am studying the health of whales in Atlantic Canada using aerial drones. From the drone's unique overhead perspective, we can assess a whale's body condition, look for entanglements or injuries, and measure body temperature with specialized thermal sensors on the drone. In September 2020, I collected imagery of humpback whales with our lab's drone in the Bay of Fundy. After reviewing the photos, I noticed that some whales, like the one pictured here, blow bubbles as they approach the surface! Shortly after this photo was taken, the whale took a big breath and dove back below the surface, likely to feed on krill.