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Marine scientists have used drones to capture unprecedented moments of gray whale behavior.
These gigantic creatures were filmed swimming upside down, combing their hair and even jumping in the air.
In total, researchers documented 24 different types of gray whale behavior using unmanned aerial vehicles, giving them a completely new perspective on these reclusive animals.
"In the beginning, we started using drones to observe the whale's physical condition," said Leigh Torres, principal investigator at the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University in the United States.
"But we soon discovered that drones could also provide us with new information about how whales behave, without disturbing them."
A typical gray whale can be about 15 meters long and weigh 36 tons. They usually live between the ages of 55 and 70 but, like all marine life, their habitat is threatened.
This study examined the behavior of gray whales 53 times over a six-month period.
Gray whales rarely come to the surface, so having a look in the sky has allowed the team to get the best view possible.
The team compiled a video of the "Five Coolest Behaviors of Gray Whales", which includes the moment when one of the 36-ton creatures takes shit.
"We may only see 10% of a whale's life while it is on the surface," said lead researcher Torres.
"With the drone, we can observe for longer periods of time and detect new behaviors, such as what we call" heads of heads, "where the whale grows head and mouth in reefs, crevices and substrates. to feed.
"Surprisingly, we also recorded whales swimming on their sides and" snapping their jaws "at prey, or even swimming upside down.
"We do not know why a whale would swim upside down for three minutes, but one hypothesis is that it helps them focus better with their eyes.
"Whales also dig up the substrate by collecting bites of amphipods and other zooplankton prey. We can see them spreading the mud of their baleen on the surface. "
Although the Torres team focused on gray and blue whales, the adoption of drone monitoring could be applied to other marine species such as sharks, turtles and dolphins.
"Most large marine animals move quickly and are unpredictable. But with a drone, you can see in the water column if it is clear enough and really understand how they live their life, "she said.
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