Monitoring the health of the world’s largest animals has always posed a challenge. Whales spend most of their lives underwater, migrate across vast distances, and are difficult to examine without disturbing them. But a new approach is turning their own breath into a valuable health signal.
Researchers have shown that drones can successfully collect samples from the exhaled breath, or “blow,” of whales, allowing scientists to screen for viruses circulating in remote Arctic waters. The study, published in BMC Veterinary Research, provides the first evidence that cetacean morbillivirus — a highly pathogenic virus associated with mass die-offs in cetaceans — is circulating in whale populations north of the Arctic Circle, a region where disease surveillance has historically been sparse.
“Drone blow sampling is a game-changer. It allows us to monitor pathogens in live whales without stress or harm, providing critical insights into diseases 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 from their blowholes. Those droplets carry traces of cells, microbes, and viruses from the animals’ respiratory systems.
To collect them, the research team piloted small, off-the-shelf drones equipped with sterile collection plates, briefly positioning the devices above whales as they surfaced. The maneuver allowed scientists to sample respiratory material without touching the animals or disrupting their behavior.
Between 2016 and 2025, the team gathered samples from humpback, sperm, and fin whales across the Northeast Atlantic, including waters off northern Norway, Iceland, and Cape Verde. To place the breath samples in broader context, the researchers also analyzed skin biopsies and, in one case, tissue from a stranded whale.
Once in the lab, the material was screened using molecular techniques that can identify genetic signatures of viruses and other pathogens — approaches similar to those used in clinical disease surveillance.
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Detecting a Whale Virus North of the Arctic Circle
The screening revealed genetic evidence of cetacean morbillivirus, a pathogen known to infect whales, dolphins, and porpoises. The virus attacks multiple organ systems and has been implicated in large die-offs 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 unwell and a stranded pilot whale. Together, the findings indicate that the virus is circulating in whale populations at latitudes where it had not previously been confirmed.
The researchers also detected herpesviruses in humpback whales sampled across multiple regions. By contrast, they found no signs of avian influenza virus or Brucella bacteria — pathogens that have been linked to some marine mammal strandings elsewhere.
The results raise concerns about disease dynamics during periods when whales aggregate closely, such as winter feeding seasons, when dense groupings and overlapping activity with seabirds, fisheries, and vessels could increase opportunities for transmission.
Monitoring Disease as Arctic Waters Change
Whales in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters are already navigating rapid environmental change. Warming seas, shifting prey, expanding shipping routes, and growing human presence are altering habitats that many species rely on for feeding and migration.
Infectious disease can compound those pressures, particularly when animals are stressed or concentrated in smaller areas. The ability to monitor pathogens in free-swimming whales offers a way to track emerging health threats before they escalate into widespread outbreaks.
“Going forward, the priority is to continue using these methods for long-term surveillance, so we can understand how multiple emerging stressors will shape whale health in the coming years,” said lead author, Helena Costa.
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