Scientists have successfully recorded the sounds of rare southern right whales during a National Antarctic Science Center expedition. This significant achievement was made possible thanks to the joint work of Ukrainian biologists and researchers. They shared the news on social media.
Southern terns are known not only for their rarity, but also for the fact that their behavior has been poorly studied. Encounters with them near the Akademik Vernadsky station have become a special event.
Biologists used the Ukrainian research vessel “Noosphere” to conduct comprehensive scientific research. They observed visually, used “acoustic trawling” and searched for animals from a motorboat. On the first day of the expedition vessel’s operation, the scientists encountered a group of 5 southern paddlefish, took photographs and recorded their sounds.
A special acoustic system was used to successfully record whale sounds. It consisted of an acoustic recorder, a 180-meter-long cable, a wing, and a tail, which ensured high-quality recordings even while the vessel was moving.
Biologists have obtained over fourteen hours of acoustic recordings, which, in addition to the fin whales, also recorded the sounds of killer whales and humpback whales. However, they still need to conduct detailed analysis to detect the sounds of other marine mammals.
These studies have made important contributions to our understanding of marine mammals and their communication patterns. Passive acoustic monitoring is particularly valuable because it allows us to study the seasonality of animal movements in places where constant human observation is not possible.
These studies are an important step towards expanding our understanding of the underwater world and contribute to the development of the acoustic “dictionary” of marine mammals.
