Use robots to study an endangered whale

- Two underwater robots were equipped to detect the cries of nine bull whales who are in danger of extinction in the Gulf of Maine (USA) last month.

According to information from the Woods Hole Oceanographic (WHOI) Institute in Massachusetts, the whale selects this bay for mating between November and January next year.

Search results have been reported to the Fisheries service of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is responsible for protecting this animal under the law of protection. marine mammals.

Using robots to study whales

The underwater robot has discovered fin whales, sei whales and humpback whales in this area, which is the first time automatic devices record the cries of many different whales. According to WHOI, whale calls are recorded about 60 miles (97km) south of Bar Harbor, Maine. In addition, the robots also performed a few tests to find out why this area became an attractive breeding ground for whales, including water temperature measurement, salinity measurement, water sample testing. searching for zookplankton is whale food.

Detecting whale cries

To detect whale calls, 1.8-meter-long robots with a no-noise engine are used to transmit data to the computer every few hours.

The information that robots transmit is necessary to understand the behavior of whales in the region, their behavior has only been studied very little because they usually only swim through this area in late autumn and winter, when the water freezes.

The discovery of the whale's cry allows researchers to identify the whale's location and photograph them. This helps scientists identify four previously known bullhead whales. Underwater robots are a major improvement in whale detection methods.

Researcher Sofie Van Parijs said that identifying the location of the head whale will help track this endangered animal and better manage human impact on them.

According to NOAA, head whales can weigh up to 140,000 pounds (63,500kg) and reach 55 feet (16.7 meters) long. They are really in danger, there are only about 300 to 400 of this species surviving.