Monitoring the health of the world’s largest animals has always been a challenge. Whales spend most of their lives underwater, migrate great distances, and are difficult to examine without disturbing them. But a new approach is to turn their own breath into a valuable health signal.
Researchers have shown that drones can successfully collect samples of the exhaled breath, or “blow,” of whales, allowing scientists to screen for viruses circulating in remote Arctic waters. The study, published in BMC Veterinary Researchprovides the first evidence that cetacean morbillivirus – a highly pathogenic virus associated with mass mortality among cetaceans – is circulating in whale populations north of the Arctic Circle, a region where disease surveillance has historically been sparse.
“Drone sampling is a game-changer. It allows us to monitor pathogens in live whales without stress or harm, providing critical information about disease in rapidly changing Arctic ecosystems,” said co-author Terry Dawson, in a press release.
Using drones to monitor whale health
When whales surface to breathe, they release a plume of air mixed with microscopic droplets through their blowholes. These droplets carry traces of cells, microbes and viruses from the respiratory system of animals.
To collect them, the research team flew small, commercially available drones equipped with sterile collection plates, briefly positioning the devices above the whales as they surfaced. The maneuver allowed scientists to collect samples of respiratory material without touching the animals or disrupting their behavior.
Between 2016 and 2025, the team collected samples of humpback, sperm and fin whales from across the Northeast Atlantic, including waters off northern Norway, Iceland and Cape Verde. To put the breath samples in a broader context, the researchers also analyzed skin biopsies and, in one case, tissue from a beached whale.
Once at the laboratory, the material was examined using molecular techniques to identify genetic signatures of viruses and other pathogens – approaches similar to those used in clinical disease surveillance.
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Detection of a whale virus north of the Arctic Circle
Screening revealed genetic evidence of cetacean morbillivirusa pathogen known to infect whales, dolphins and porpoises. The virus attacks multiple organ systems and has been implicated in mass mortalities of marine mammals in past outbreaks.
In this study, morbillivirus signatures were identified in humpback whales sampled in northern Norway, as well as in a sperm whale that appeared sick and a stranded pilot whale. Together, the results indicate that the virus is circulating in whale populations at latitudes where it has not previously been confirmed.
Researchers also detected herpesviruses in humpback whales sampled in several regions. On the other hand, they found no sign of avian flu virus or Brucella bacteria — pathogens that have been associated with some marine mammal strandings elsewhere.
The findings raise concerns about disease dynamics during periods when whales cluster closely together, such as winter feeding seasons, when dense groupings and overlapping activities with seabirds, fisheries and ships could increase transmission opportunities.
Monitoring Diseases as Arctic Waters Change
Whales in Arctic and subarctic waters are already facing rapid environmental changes. Warming seas, the movement of prey, the expansion of maritime routes and the growing human presence are changing the habitats on which many species depend for food and migration.
Infectious diseases can compound these pressures, particularly when animals are stressed or concentrated in smaller areas. The ability to monitor pathogens in free-swimming whales provides a way to track emerging health threats before they escalate into widespread outbreaks.
“Going forward, the priority is to continue to use these methods for long-term monitoring, so that we can understand how multiple emerging stressors will shape whale health in the years to come,” said lead author Helena Costa.
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