Quick summary
Fecal samples provide a well-established, non-invasive approach for evaluating stress and reproductive physiology of large whales, offering critical insights for conservation and health monitoring. Despite this promise, collecting samples from free-swimming whales remains a critical bottleneck: defecation events are unpredictable and difficult to detect, and fecal plumes often rapidly disperse before samples can be recovered. To address these challenges, we are developing the Poomba, the first drone-deployed system designed for large whale fecal sampling. The system is comprised of a compact, high-volume water pump, in-line filter, and battery, all contained within a surface float attached to a multi-copter drone. During surface intervals, the drone monitors the focal whale via live video feed, allowing real-time detection of defecation events. When the whale defecates, the drone moves into position above the plume and remotely releases the Poomba, which begins filtering until it is recovered by the vessel. We have developed a prototype and will be conducting field trials in the near future to assess its ability to recover samples suitable for hormone analysis. While the system is motivated by studies on endangered North Atlantic right whales, its scalable design is intended for application to other large whale species. By combining drone technology with non-invasive fecal sampling, the Poomba has the potential to transform how we assess the health and reproduction of free-swimming whales.
This project is an internal collaboration at New England Aquarium between Kelsey Howe, John Durban, Liz Burgess, Amy Warren, Monica Zani, and contractor Devin Malanaphy.