With the support of the Nuremberg Zoo, we are conducting a multidisciplinary study with our partners to investigate the endocrine responses of southern right whales(Eubalaena australis) to various influences, such as changes in food quality and availability, attacks and harassment by gulls, injuries from fishing nets and collisions, and ship traffic. To do this, we measure hormones that indicate the stress response (glucocorticoids) in adipose tissue biopsies and use aerial photography from drones to assess the physical condition and presence of injuries and to identify the animals. By integrating these methods, we aim to understand how the various human and environmental impacts affect the health and well-being of cetaceans.
The project is led by researchers from the Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, the Marine Mammal Laboratory of the Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos(CESIMAR-CONICET) and the Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud(INICSA-CONICET).
During the 2024 season, we have so far sampled more than 120 individual southern right whales, including mothers with calves, adults and juveniles, and taken more than 6,000 aerial photographs. And that's just the beginning!
The aim of the project is to better understand the physiology of the whales in order to gain important information for the protection of these incredible marine mammals and the marine environment. We continue to campaign for the protection of whales, both on a regional and global level!
