Whale Research

Using drones to study the health and body condition of North Pacific humpback whales

Four researchers, outfitted in bright red survival gear, are bobbing at sea aboard a bright orange zodiac on a beautiful day in Southeast...

AWF Research Update: June, 2023

Month at a Glance Effort: Days on the water = 10 Sampling stations = 96 Total # Photo-IDs = 157 Drone Flights = 90 Biopsies = 5 Nutrient...

The whale pump: investigating humpback whale-driven nutrient cycling in Southeast Alaska

How can whale fecal matter— i.e., poop —help us to understand ocean ecosystems? “A little to the left!” A bright red zodiac moves slowly...

Reviving archived data to better understand humpback whale behavior

Breathtaking. This is the best way I can describe the synchronized hunt of bubble-netting humpback whales in Southeast Alaska. First, an...

Night on the net pens

Cruising along the slick evening waters of Chatham Strait, heading north toward my evening dwelling, I watch the clouds move slowly...

The foraging habits of the three stooges

The first part of this year’s field season at the Center for Coastal Conservation is already reaching its final few weeks. Fortunately,...

New item on the menu

Pacific salmon are Alaska’s most important renewable resource both for industry and identity. Economically, salmon account for 37% of the...