Whale tales from the edge of Antarctica

Whale tales from the edge of Antarctica

Researchers aboard RV Tangaroa have encountered humpback whales at the Balleny Islands deep in the Southern Ocean and are on the track of the world’s largest mammal, the blue whale.

Voyage leader Dr Richard O’Driscoll said Tangaroa surveyed whale, krill and fish around most of the islands’ coasts except where they were hampered by sea ice.

“Numerous humpback whales were observed, particularly around Buckle Island (the middle island), and acoustic data showed aggregations of Antarctic krill in the upper 200 metres of the water,” Dr O’Driscoll reported from the ship.

“Biopsy samples were taken from seven humpback whales, and we also trawled for food species, netting krill and jellyfish, some grenadiers (rattails), small Antarctic cods and lanternfish.”

The first two blue whales were sighted and photographed between Buckle and Sturge Islands. “This was a great thrill, and hopefully a good omen for the next phase of the voyage,” he said. The Australian Antarctic Division team on board had deployed sonobouys to listen for blue whales and get a fix on their location.

Dr O’Driscoll said: “The weather and sea conditions so far have been amazing and we have been treated to some spectacular sunrises and sunsets against the backdrop of the Balleny Islands. We are out of sight of land again now, with only icebergs (and hopefully blue whales) for company.”

The blue whale work is scheduled for the next 10 days before Tangaroa enters the Ross Sea proper. “The latest sea ice charts suggests that the ice is clearing nicely and all onboard are hopeful that the favourable conditions will continue,” he said.

Dr Richard O’Driscoll is NIWA fisheries scientist and project leader on the New Zealand-Australia Antarctic Ecosystems Voyage 2015. The voyage is monitoring the health of the ecosystem that supports the ocean’s top predators, blue whales, humpback whales and Antarctic toothfish.

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