Individual North Atlantic right whales identified from space

The population of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis, numbers approximately 336 individuals, and continues to decline. Current development and implementation of protection measures and monitoring of right whale presence relies on visual surveys from vessel and aerial platforms, and passive acoustic monitoring, which contribute to location data. Here we demonstrate that satellite imagery can be used to detect and confirm the North Atlantic right whales at a species level using newly available imaging methods, providing another tool to inform conservation efforts. Using optical satellite imagery with 15 cm resolution, 25 right whales were observed in Cape Cod Bay on April 24, 2021. Species confirmation was possible due to clearly visible callosity patterns indicative of their species within this range. Although the variations in callosity patterns commonly used to identify individuals were too small to be resolved at this image resolution, one whale with large distinctive markings visible on his body was identified at an individual level from satellite imagery alone. Although visual and acoustic survey methods can be combined for monitoring this species in critical habitats, satellite-based monitoring can be especially helpful to understand whale presence outside the areas monitored with existing visual and acoustic detection methods.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates that satellite imagery can be used to detect and confirm the presence of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. It provides another tool for conservation efforts, especially in areas where visual and acoustic methods are not applicable.