Monitoring the endangered southern right whale entails studying its foraging and migratory habitats, reproductive cycles and body weight and mass. Measuring the weight of these large baleen whales is no small A southern right whale female rolling on her side and exposing her lateral side to the surface while gently touching her calf. Source: British Ecological Societyfeat, so researchers enlisted the help of drones to conduct aerial photographic surveys.

The aerial photogrammetry data was used to measure the body length, width and height of 86 free‐living southern right whales off the coast of Argentina and to estimate body volume by modeling the animals as a series of infinitely small ellipses. Body girth was calculated across the pectoral fin and at other measurement sites to develop a linear model that predicts body volume from the body girth and length data.

The modeling system, which can be applied to other marine mammals, is being used to examine the predatory behavior of kelp gulls toward whale calves. It could also facilitate more accurate sedative dosing for the rescue of whales entangled in fishing gear.

An interactive 3D model of a southern right whale can be seen here.

The research was conducted by scientists from Aarhus University (Denmark), Instituto de Conservacion de Ballenas (Argentina), Murdoch University (Australia), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, University of Massachusetts and GTZ Designs (Tennessee).