Study shows humpback whales were happier during pandemic break

Research led by the University of Queensland has found that migrating humpback whales off the east coast of Australia became less stressed in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research paper was published in Research into the marine environment.

Dr Jake Linsky from UQ’s School of the Environment led a study from the Moreton Bay Research Station to measure the species’ health at a time of unprecedented changes in human activity.

“We used drone photography and blubber samples to assess the health of eastern Australian humpback whales in the waters off Minjerribah – North Stradbroke Island – during their migration in 2020 and 2021,” Dr Linsky said.

“This population has successfully recovered from whaling in the past, so we wanted to use the latest tools to monitor their health.”

The researchers used drone footage to measure the size and body condition of the whales.

“These are vital indicators of the energy stores they use during their long annual migration and intensive breeding period,” said Dr. Linsky.

“We also used small boats to approach the whales and collect small samples of the skin and blubber from the whales’ flanks.

“These bacon samples were analyzed for hormones and gene expressions related to stress, energy reserves, and immune health.”

The laboratory results showed that cortisol concentrations in the whales were significantly lower in 2021 than in 2020.

“This change in their physiology suggests that there is a decrease in environmental stressors between the two years of age,” said Dr. Linsky.

“Several things happened during this period that likely contributed to our findings, including a climate shift to La Niña and dramatic changes in human activity during the pandemic.

“Our gene expression results also provide a new hypothesis, namely that the whales may have been responding to a decrease in pollutants in their remote feeding waters.

“Previous studies have found similar changes in stress hormones in whales on the other side of the Antarctic continent. Our findings support the idea that these changes occurred throughout the Southern Ocean.”

According to the researchers, the results highlight the role that migrating whales play as indicators of the health of Antarctic marine ecosystems.

“Eastern Australian humpback whales have shown a remarkable ability to adapt to changes in their environment, but our research highlights the importance of limiting human impact so they can continue to thrive in our rapidly changing oceans,” Dr Linsky said.

“By continuing to monitor and protect humpback whales off the east coast of Australia, we can ensure their health and stability, while providing valuable insights into how other struggling whale populations can be protected.”